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House Financial Services Committee: Key Issues
December 07, 2009, Matthew Kredell 

Let's take a closer look at some of the key issues to come from Thursday's House Financial Services Committee hearing regarding poker and Internet gambling bills. Many of these points are likely to come up again when chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and the committee take up the topic next year.

* FBI papers: Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), online poker's staunchest detractor in the committee, focused on a letter he received from Shawn Henry, assistant director of the FBI Cyber Division. The letter focused on the possibilities of cheating and money laundering in online poker while also dismissing the ability of sites to prevent minors from playing.
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The letter is full of inaccuracies such as the claim that "For age verification, the possession of a credit card is usually the only validation these sites require." This assertion is probably surprising to the many readers who have sent copies of their driver's license and a utility bill showing age and address to make a withdrawal from a site.

The Poker Players Alliance turned Henry's letter around as reason to support the legislation, stating in a press release that each of Henry's concerns would be better addressed by licensing and regulating the industry than by prohibition. The FBI letter and the PPA's response can be viewed here.

* Funding from Harrah's: In watching the hearings, the only time Bachus appeared to claim a small victory was when he received admissions from witnesses Kevin Whyte (National Council on Problem Gambling) and Parry Aftab (Wired Safety) that their organizations received funding from casino giant Harrah's. Harrah's has shown interest in getting into the online poker industry if the proposed legislation passes.

While the way Bachus coaxed the admissions out of the witnesses made these admissions seem like a feather in his cap, PPA executive director John Pappas questioned the point. "Would it be inconceivable to think Anheuser-Busch funds Mothers Against Drunk Driving?" Pappas said. "Of course not, because it wants to support responsible use of its product. It seems like the responsible thing to do, not something to be criticized."

* Bachus' weak witnesses: Out of the seven witnesses, five were chosen by Frank and two by Bachus.

Frank's were all effective, despite Bachus' attempt to discredit some as being paid for by the gambling industry. Each had a calculated and specific focus.

Whyte to talk about how legislation would help monitor and support problem gamblers;

Aftab to counter Bachus' claim that legislation would hurt children;

Professor Malcolm Sparrow (John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University) to provide an academic study;

Samuel Vallandingham (Independent Community Bankers of America) to present the view of the banking industry; and

Michael Brodsky (youbet.com) to show how online gambling is working in a similar industry.

It is baffling as to why Bachus would call Robert Martin, tribal chairman of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Martin and Morongo oppose federal legislation yet have been trying to push similar legislation at a state level in California so the Indian tribes can start a poker site.

After Martin rambled through his claims that federal legislation would protect foreign operators at the expense of American jobs (Harrah's doesn't seem to think so), Frank called him out on his hypocrisy. Thus, Martin did nothing to help online poker's opposition.

Bachus then called Jim Dowling, an expert on money laundering, to talk about the perils of money laundering in Internet gambling. Dowling's testimony didn't seem to have much teeth, especially considering that Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the former chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, followed by speaking in favor of the legislation.

Perhaps Bachus couldn't come up with better witnesses with only a week's notice of the hearing and the Thanksgiving holiday. One has to think that Bachus and the opposition will come out stronger next time around.

* Frank's unflattering comparison: In his Libertarian view that the government shouldn't be going into people's homes and telling them what they can and cannot do, Frank compared Internet gambling with buying alcohol and watching pornography on the Internet.

"Now we're pegging gambling to pornography and booze, like why can't we do one more bad thing," said Joe Brennan Jr., chairman of the Interactive Media and Gaming Assocation. "I'm a father and a Catholic. I'm not looking to lead the world in online sin. I don't see the logic of saying this activity is legal offline but should be immoral and illegal on the Internet."

* Federal or state issue?: Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said he thinks Internet gambling should be decided on a state-by-state basis, the same way regular gambling is handled. This line of thinking is one to watch, more so than Bachus' stated concerns of child endangerment and money laundering, both of which would be handled better under the watchful eye of U.S. regulation. The states argument could end up being the biggest obstacle to federal legislation.

* Credit card quandary: Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.), who has yet to voice a stance on the legislation, said he didn't think online gambling should be allowed by credit card. His point was that people get in trouble when they gamble via the unsecured loan of a credit card, and then taxpayers can be on the hook if they don't pay. Lee said he was OK with online gambling via debit card. Whether or not his point has merit is open to debate. It makes sense to gamble only with money one has; however, credit cards are a major part of society. If someone has a problem, he or she can max a credit card shopping just as easily as playing poker, but we're not going to outlaw shopping with a credit card. If not allowing deposits by credit card is what it takes to get online poker officially legal and regulated in the U.S., it's a worthwhile concession. Most credit cards have been blocking Internet poker deposits for years anyway.

Source :  http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/12/house-financial-services-committee-key-issues-7643.htm

PPA's John Pappas sheads a little light on what this date means to the folks in Washington DC, and what the PPA is doing to fight it.

The Poker Players Alliance's petition to delay the fast-approaching compliance date for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act received a boost Monday when all six Kentucky congressmen submitted a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to support pushing the Dec. 1 deadline back a year.

Many members of Congress, including House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), already had given letters supporting the petition filed jointly by the PPA, National Thoroughbred Racing Association and American Greyhound Track Operators Association. What makes this letter different is that it cites a specific example of the law being misapplied.

The Kentucky congressmen -- Geoff Davis (R), Harold Rogers (R), Ben Chandler (D), John Yarmuth (D), Edward Whitfield (R) and Brett Guthrie (R) — were angry that MasterCard had stopped processing transactions with the code used by the U.S. horse racing industry in preparation for UIGEA's enforcement, despite horse racing receiving an exemption in the legislation.
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"This letter cites a specific incident where overblocking occurred, so I think that could be particularly powerful with the organizations (Treasury and Federal Reserve Board)," said PPA executive director John Pappas. "But I think the letters from others will carry just as much weight."

Ironically, Kentucky is the same state whose governor, Steve Beshear, has been crusading unsuccessfully in court to seize 141 Internet Gambling-related Web sites that include PokerStars.com and FullTiltPoker.com. Attack the horse racing industry and Kentucky changes its tune.

With the Thanksgiving weekend upon us, only a few business days remain for Geithner to stop the UIGEA from taking effect. He would need to make a ruling by Monday of next week. MasterCard's blocking of horse-racing transactions is a perfect example of why U.S. financial institutions are not prepared to properly enforce this vague law — and why a delay is necessary.

Geithner could pass on making any ruling by Monday, letting the UIGEA go into effect, but Pappas said he believes a decision will be made one way or the other by Wednesday.

Source;  http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/11/six-kentucky-congressmen-support-pushing-back-uigea-deadline-7585.htm

 The GOP’s Bad Bet Against Online Poker
by Rich Muny

The GOP has historically been the party of limited government and personal responsibility. President Ronald Reagan said it best in his frequent citations of Thomas Paine’s famous axiom – “the government governs best that governs least.” Unfortunately, the party moved away from the limited government conservatism of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan during the George W. Bush Administration. In fact, the 2008 Republican Party Platform regrettably went so far as to advocate a federal prohibition of online poker.


Poker is not a crime, nor should it be. Millions of Americans – including the president and many in Congress – play the game at their kitchen tables, on the Internet, and at their local card rooms. It is a great American pastime. During that failed era of big government “conservatism”, however, some big government social conservative groups like Focus on the Family wished to use the power of the federal government to stop Americans from playing online poker in their own homes.

 Source: http://biggovernment.com/2009/11/10/limited-government-conservatism-internet-freedom-and-online-poker/

By Michael Hiltzik

October 19, 2009


No issue brings out America's talent for self-deception like gambling.

To persuade ourselves that we can keep this particular sin under control, we sequestered casinos in isolated places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City reachable only by superhighways, and isolated them on riverboats where not a single card could be dealt or slot lever pulled until the vessel left the dock.

In Mississippi, the law used to say you couldn't have a casino unless it floated on water. After Hurricane Katrina forcibly relocated a few of these sin barges onto land, the Legislature, reading the disaster as a sign from God, revised the law to let them stay put. (The riverboat states, similarly, eventually allowed their floating casinos to remain dockside.)

Then there are the Indian tribes that have fewer members on their rolls than slot machines in their multimillion-dollar casinos.

Which brings us to Internet gambling.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) have both introduced bills in Congress to lift a federal ban on much online play and clarify the law, which is even murkier than it is for physical casinos, if that's possible. Their goals include taking a piece of the action for the U.S. Treasury, on the political principle that sins always seem less deadly when there's money to be squeezed from them. The consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated in 2007 that legalization could yield as much as $43 billion in tax revenue over 10 years if it includes sports betting, $34 billion even if it doesn't.

Another impetus is that new Federal Reserve and Treasury Department rules requiring banks and other financial institutions to block gambling transfers will go into effect Dec. 1, and the banks are screaming bloody murder about the added regulatory burden.

Internet gambling is one of those issues that shines a light on the distribution of juice in Washington.

The repeal bills delight casino companies such as Harrah’s Entertainment, which is hankering to expand its thriving poker business online and has spent about $1 million this year alone to lobby Congress for legalization. But they also leave intact a ban on Internet sports betting, which pleases outfits like the National Football League, no slouch in the Washington lobbying game.

It's fair to say that the American approach to Internet gambling, which is legal in much of the rest of the world, is absurd. (Indeed, the federal ban placed the U.S. in Dutch with international trading partners that host online gambling companies, which have complained to the World Trade Organization that it violates trade treaties the U.S. signed.) State laws are wildly inconsistent and sometimes hypocritically excessive.

"Martians might have a difficult time understanding that if you play poker online for money in the state of Washington, you're committing a class C felony," Joseph M. Kelly, a gambling-law expert at Buffalo State University in New York, told me. "That's the same as rape."

The Government Accountability Office, surveying the legal landscape in 2002, found that five states specifically outlawed Internet gambling: Illinois, Oregon, South Dakota, Nevada and Louisiana. (Washington enacted its ban in 2006.) Gambling in physical casinos was legal in every one.

On the federal level, conservatives in Congress slipped an Internet gambling ban onto the books in 2006 by quietly attaching it to an antiterrorism bill no sane lawmaker could oppose.

That federal law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, has numerous flaws. It saddles financial institutions with the duty of enforcement by barring them from "knowingly accepting payments" derived from "unlawful Internet gambling." But it doesn't define what is unlawful.

It exempts fantasy sports and "skill" games, for example. But where does that leave the most popular online game, poker? The new regulations seem to outlaw the game, although its aficionados contend that it's a game of skill pitting player against player. They contend it's been swept into the gambling ban by lax regulation-drafting.

"This law and these regulations are simply a fraud," says Howard Lederer, a world-class poker player on the board of the Poker Players Alliance, a Washington group that claims 1.2 million members. "People who had a moral agenda wrote laws and regulations that were vague. And banks, which have the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads and no clarity, are probably going to block poker transactions."

As for other games, the Justice Department bases its position that all Internet gambling is illegal on the 1961 Wire Act, which outlaws the use of telecommunication services to place bets. But federal courts have upheld Wire Act prosecutions for sports betting alone, leaving unclear whether other online gambling is actually illegal under federal law.

Banks and credit card issuers aren't happy about having to screen billions of financial transactions for signs they're gambling-related starting a few weeks from now. An officer of the American Bankers Assn. told Congress last year that the proposed rules have "no prospect of practical success" in fulfilling the explicit rationale for the 2006 law, which was to combat money laundering.

Kelly thinks it might have the opposite effect. "You diminish reputable payment processors and replace them with those who don't leave a paper trail," he says.

It's not as though the federal ban can wipe out online play any more than Prohibition wiped out drinking. It just deprives players of the protection of a U.S.-regulated environment. Gambling sites are generally regulated by their home countries -- Britain, Ireland and Caribbean states such as Antigua among them -- but that's far to go for redress.

"If a player feels cheated, he'll stop playing on the site," says John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, "but without U.S. oversight, he can't file a claim in an American court." The Frank and Menendez bills would require sites serving U.S. players to accept U.S. legal jurisdiction in return for licensing.

Certainly Internet gambling has its hazards, including the prospect of addictive playing and the enticement of minors. But banning the pastime forces these problems into the shadows where they're harder to address and makes it impossible to enlist the industry in helping to fight them.

It's doubtful that Congress will act in time to put off the new regulations, especially given the more pressing issues on its plate. But next year isn't too soon for it to relearn the lesson of every attempt to enforce a morality that most people don't share. If you can't eradicate, regulate -- and take a big chunk out of the wages of sin while you're at it.

Source:http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik19-2009oct19,0,1924643.column

This article in the Washington Post is what poker needs if we are to change the tide in or fight to reform poker laws.

By George F. Will
Sunday, August 16, 2009


Howard Lederer, a.k.a. "the Professor," is a professional poker player, not a gambler. If Congress will acknowledge this distinction, it will rectify one of its recent mistakes.

In 2006, Congress, cloaking cunning with moralizing, effectively outlawed Internet gambling by making it illegal for banks or credit-card companies to process payments to online gambling operations. This was more than moral pork for social conservatives. It also blocked online competitors from poaching gamblers from the nation's most aggressive promoters of gambling -- state governments. They are increasingly addicted to revenue raised by lotteries -- the 42 states that have lotteries spent $520 million in 2007 promoting them -- and from taxation of other legal gambling. The law exempted Internet state lotteries and two powerful and vocal interests -- online betting on horse racing and some fantasy sports betting online.

Having turned gambling, which once was treated as a sin, into a social policy, government looks unusually silly criminalizing online forms of it. Granted, some people gamble excessively (although not nearly as many people as eat excessively). Granted, gambling becomes addictive to a small minority (although it is not nearly as addictive as smoking and drinking). Granted, gambling is morally dubious when it is only the unproductive pursuit of wealth without work (although gambling is productive of pleasure for tens of millions of Americans for whom it is a frequent pastime). But never mind whether government should try to tightly circumscribe a ubiquitous human activity that generally harms nobody.

 

That is beside the point that Lederer and the Poker Players Alliance are toiling to make, which is that by sweeping online poker into its proscription of online gambling, Congress committed a category mistake. Congress, Lederer thinks, should revisit the work of John von Neumann (1903-57), the Hungarian-born mathematician who, after working for the Manhattan Project on implosion design for the atomic bomb, became a defense intellectual specializing in the relevance of game theory to strategic thinking. Chess involves logic; roulette involves probability theory. Poker involves logic, probability and something pertinent to military and diplomatic strategy -- bluffing.

Von Neumann's "Theory of Parlor Games" (1928) and, with Oskar Morgenstern, "Theory of Games and Economic Behavior" (1944) established the field of game theory. Another of today's leading professional poker players, Chris Ferguson, is the son of a mother who is a mathematician and a father who teaches game theory at UCLA.

When you play chess, Lederer says, there is symmetry of information: Both players have all the information provided by the location of the pieces on the board, and both are equally ignorant of the opponent's intentions. A computer can be programmed to "play" a powerful game of chess, but not of poker, wherein your opponents' cards are concealed.

Lederer is confident that a brain scan of someone playing poker would reveal a lit-up frontal lobe but the lobe of someone watching television would show up cool blue. A poker player -- unlike someone playing roulette, a lottery or "video poker" (which Lederer says is a misnomer; it is a game of chance governed by a machine) -- is trying to apply skill, acquired by experience, to increase the probability of winning each hand.

The son of an English teacher at St. Paul's School in New Hampshire, Lederer decided to spend a year studying chess before matriculating at Columbia University. Instead, he discovered poker. He started at Columbia but left, reasoning that he had found his vocation. He has won about $5 million.

But what is his stake in decriminalizing online poker? After all, he plays much more on green felt-covered tables than online. His interest is threefold. First, his libertarian temperament -- he lives in Las Vegas, where almost anything goes -- is offended by mother-hen government. Second, he wants as many people as possible to have access to poker's delights. Third, the more poker players there are, the larger will be the ranks of competitors, and the television audiences, for professional poker competitions. Hence the larger will be the potential winnings. This year, Lederer says, there were 6,494 competitors in the World Series of Poker Main Event, down about 1,000 from 2006, largely because more players used to win their $10,000 entry fee in online tournaments.

It is a poker skill to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Congress probably should fold its interference with Internet gambling and certainly should get its 10 thumbs off Americans' freedom to exercise their poker skills online.

Source:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/14/AR2009081401933.html

"Ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed by Congress three years ago, poker advocates have been trying to distinguish poker from other forms of gambling as a skill game."

"This only makes sense. As pokers players, we have a sense of pride that our success on the felt -- virtual or otherwise -- is based upon our analytical minds. It is insulting to us for poker to be grouped with other casino games that, at best, offer only the opportunity to maximize one's chances."

You might want to think twice next time before you blurt out "Gamble,Gamble,Gamble."

Source; http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/10/should-poker-put-the-skill-game-issue-aside-7451.htm

A Dallas federal judge called James McDaniel "inhumane and barbaric" after sentencing him to life in prison Wednesday for plying Southern Methodist University student Meaghan Bosch with drugs and dumping her body near Waco after she fatally overdosed.A federal jury convicted McDaniel, 49, in June of causing Bosch's death. Construction workers found her body May 14, 2007, in a portable toilet in Hewitt, just south of Waco.

Evidence showed that as her family, friends and police frantically searched for her, Bosch lay in McDaniel's duplex, barely breathing and nearly comatose from drugs. At one point, McDaniel, gun in hand, kept two men from taking her to the emergency room.

"When you realized that she was not going to wake up, you covered your tracks," said U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay. "You did not intend for her to die, but you put her in that position."

    McDaniel

  Bosch

Source:http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102809dnmetmcdaniel.25cc870fd.html

Happy Halloween fellow rounders. Here's hoping you get more treats the and tricks. The treats I'm talking about are huge stacks of chips and the tricks I'm talking about are of course "bad beats." I ran across this horror movie villains playing poker pic. Hope you enjoy it.

/files/3254813/uploaded/horror movie poker.jpg

It's time for people to lower their expectations about when licensed and regulated Internet poker will be available in the United States. It's not going to be this year. It probably won't be next year, but it will likely happen eventually -- at the government's pace.

Poker lobbyists and advocates such as the Poker Players Alliance and the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association have made a lot of progress with Congress, learning to play the political game and getting their message out to attract some influential allies.

However, when a group that has been largely apolitical appears on Capitol Hill for the first time, it takes awhile for its cause to be widely accepted and adopted.
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"In the next 5-to-10 years, I'll be very surprised if there's not universally available and regulated access to iGaming in the U.S.," iMEGA chairman Joe Brennan Jr said. "But it's going to take time. Everyone wants this to move at Internet speed, but it will move at government speed."

The movement to legalize online poker might have made more progress this year if not for the nationwide economic crisis. Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), poker's biggest supporter in the government, is also probably the busiest man on Capitol Hill at the moment. As head of the House Financial Services Committee, the country's financial issues need his attention. He wanted to hold a committee hearing on his Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act this year, but his focus has to be elsewhere.

Progress over the next year promises to be equally difficult.

The PPA's focus for the remainder of this session of Congress will be on delaying the Dec. 1 compliance date for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Any time Frank has for poker also will go to this more pressing issue.

In 2010, it will be an election year. Many Democrats who won their seats in the last election did so by narrow margins in usually conservative areas. Republicans hope to chop away at the Democratic Majority. It's unlikely that these Congressmen with tentative holds on their seats will support a controversial topic when it could be held against them in the campaign. No matter how unfair an allegation, no politician wants to face a television ad stating that he or she wants to make gambling available to children.

Perhaps an opportunity to make some headway in Congress might come in 2010 before re-election campaigns begin. However, it's likely some economic issues from this session of Congress will spill over to next year and, again, take precedent.

So, theoretically, we're now looking at 2011. And even when a licensing and regulation bill does go before a vote of the full Congress, it may take a few tries to get it through. The UIGEA didn't get through Congress until 2006, but its architects had been trying to pass anti-poker legislation for about 10 years.

While Internet poker awaits its time in Congress, movement could occur at the state level. Cash-strapped California briefly looked into intrastate online poker this year and could take a more serious look at it next year. If states begin to license and regulate online poker, that could influence Congress.

"If the states start getting into it and it takes off, that will show the need for federal legislation," Brennan said. "If I had to place a bet today on where it is going to start, my bet would be on the states, not on the federal government."

In the meantime, continued presence on Capitol Hill by poker lobbyists could keep the Department of Justice from going on the offensive against the game by showing that the country is headed in the direction of recognizing online poker's legitimacy.

- - - - - - - - - -

Brennan indicated that iMEGA isn't planning on following up on the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals decision to uphold the UIGEA.

"At this time, we're not inclined to appeal to the Supreme Court," Brennan said. "We just don't feel we have a strong enough hand to be able to appeal this thing. The decision was on pretty narrow statute grounds."

source:  http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/10/federally-regulated-online-gaming-laws-may-take-years-to-mat-7413.htm

Twitter has pretty much exploded into the new "it" thing for everyone to do. Everyone tweets these days from news outlets to football players to poker players. Doyle "TexDolly" Brunson is one of the biggest if not the biggest name in the poker world. People are certainly interested in following Brunson. According to Gambling911, he had about 16,000 followers on Twitter last week and as of today he is up to 45,491. He's raking in followers as fast as Ivey's been raking in chips on Full Tilt this week. Over the last few days he's been entertaining us with blonde, brunette, and redhead jokes.

Brunson isn't the only poker playing tweeter with a huge following though, Joe Sebok (@JoeSebok) leads the way with over 900,000 followers.

Our Star Tweet Tracker nicely gathers all of your favorite poker players tweets on one page.

After all this Twitter talk, you're probably itching to follow PokerNews and always be up to date with the news. Don't forget to sign up for The Nightly Turbo newsletter too!

source:    http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/10/the-nightly-turbo-jennifer-harman-naked-phil-ivey-s-running-7366.htm

This article directed at District attorney's around the state, seems to be aimed more at video poker and eight liners than toward live poker. Poker is mentioned and the information in the article may be of use to poker room entrepreneurs. Restaurant and bar games are also mentioned. What is not mentioned is that prosecutors have all but given up on making felony convictions in these " gambling" cases. And at least in the major cities around Texas, police have stopped the raids on poker rooms.

http://www.tdcaa.com/node/2872 

source;   http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/091909dnmetlonestar.3b4fd5e.html

Lone Star Park, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization earlier this year, said Tuesday that Ada, Okla.-based Global Gaming LSP has agreed to be the stalking horse bidder in the sale of Lone Star Park.

A stalking horse bidder is a bidder chosen by a company in bankruptcy to submit the initial bid when the company is sold at auction.

Global Gaming LSP LLC is owned by the Chickasaw Nation. Terms of the bid were not disclosed.

The final auction of Lone Star Park is expected to occur in New York with Miller Buckfire & Co. overseeing the auction.

The agreement signed with Global Gaming LSP says Lone Star Park will continue to operate in Chapter 11 until a sale is completed.

In March, Lone Star Park announced that its parent company, Magna Entertainment Corp. and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The park continued to operate, noting that no assets or accounts were frozen

source;    http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/09/14/daily24.html

he circuit judge overseeing the appeal of five Mount Pleasant poker players convicted earlier this year has decided to reverse the players’ convictions.

In a letter that supports the argument that Texas Hold ‘Em is a game of skill, not one of chance, Circuit Judge R. Markley Dennis said this week it is his opinion the state Supreme Court would likely adopt “the dominate factor test” in deciding the case.

Under the dominate factor test, Texas Hold ‘Em is not gaming or gambling, the judge wrote, which would make it illegal under state law.

He also said the law covering the play “is ambiguous and must be construed in favor of appellants.”

The decision is not Dennis’ final order on the case and he asked that the attorneys for the five players to prepare a proposed order for his consideration and review.

Poker advocates have argued that “Hold ‘Em” differs from other poker games because of the bluffing, betting and card know-how involved. They were not quick to declare outright victory because appeals are likely to be pursued.

The five players were among about two dozen people charged in a Mount Pleasant police gambling raid on a private home in 2006.

source: http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/sep/18/five-mount-pleasant-poker-player-convictions-rever/

With the date for banks to comply with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act nearly two months away, the Poker Players Alliance is turning its full attention to delaying the regulations until legislation to legalize and regulate online poker can be addressed in Congress.

The PPA is working on a new strategy that may be able to put off the Dec. 1 compliance date without needing HR 2266, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, to pass through Congress.

"There are other ways to get it done that include bypassing the legislative process," PPA executive director John Pappas said. "There's no point in revealing the strategy until it has been deployed. We've had some discussions with Congressman Frank about things he can do to help encourage the Treasury Department to accept 2266, and hopefully he will."
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Pappas said he hopes to have the new strategy in motion within the next few weeks. The focus on delaying the UIGEA could slow Frank's other bill, HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act from being heard in committee.

The Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act has been picking up momentum since Congress resumed three weeks ago, adding eight co-signers to bring its total to 43.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) offered an amendment in the Senate Finance Committee that would dedicate the tax revenue generated through implementation of Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act to fund health care reform through the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009.

It is doubtful that HR 2267 can be advanced soon enough to be included in the health care bill, considering that Frank's bill has yet to come up for committee discussion, but at least a senator is thinking of ways money from legalizing and regulating poker can help other areas of the country that need assistance in these tough economic times.

"We're encouraged that someone in Congress is recognizing there is revenue and a reason to do this," Pappas said. "There's a whole policy discussion that needs to take place before this is tacked on to the health care bill. It's optimistic to think he can do that and get it on, and I don't think it will happen."

source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/09/a-new-strategy-for-the-poker-players-alliance-7305.htm

"You never got me down, Ray. You hear me? You never got me down." -- boxer Jake LaMotta, as played by Robert De Niro, after taking a beating from Sugar Ray Robinson in Martin Scorsese's film "Raging Bull."

The U.S. Department of Justice likes to consider itself the heavyweight champion of the legal world. When it comes to getting in the ring, the DOJ has no concern for putting on a good show for the crowd. The DOJ wants to end the fight with one quick knockout blow, collect its prize money and bask in the headlines.

The online poker industry took the full force of a punch in June when the DOJ's Southern District of New York seized $34 million in payments that were on the way to approximately 27,000 poker players. Yet the poker sites kept operating as usual and the players kept posting their blinds. Within days if not hours, the $34 million taken was back in the poker accounts of the players courtesy of reimbursements from the poker sites, which showed customer service that would put most U.S. companies to shame.
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You never got us down, DOJ.

"If you're the Justice Department, you've got to wonder what you're going to do for an encore because, if you were looking for some shock and awe -- trying to get the same effect as when they took down Neteller -- I would not say they achieved that goal," said Joe Brennan Jr., chairman of the online poker advocacy group Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association. "This industry is starting to toughen up and took this shot pretty good."

The DOJ used to cause much more damage when taking a shot at the industry. In 2007, the DOJ seized $60 million of poker players' money from Neteller, then the largest processor to get money from players to poker sites. That move impacted the industry for months as sites scrambled to find new ways to handle transactions, many casual players were scared away and American players had money they may had depended on held in limbo for around five months.

In 2006, the mere threat of getting into the ring with the DOJ caused Party Poker, then the largest poker site in the world, to leave the U.S. market.

Through those battles, poker has developed a stronger chin.

The window for the DOJ to bully the industry may be closing. With overblocking from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act expected in December and people's fears of further seizures, Brennan expects processing to migrate offshore and out of DOJ's reach.

"If everyone goes to offshore banking, what is the DOJ going to do," Brennan said. "If you want to cash out from crazypoker.com, or whatever, and the operator sends a paper check from the First Bank of England or Gibraltar or something like that, as long as you're OK with the inconvenience of having to wait up to 30 days for the check to credit to your account, there's nothing they can do. The only contact (the DOJ will have) left with the industry will be the players, and the Wire Act doesn't apply to players. The Illegal Gambling Business Act does not apply to players."

Adjustments by the poker industry won't be able to dodge that feared DOJ left hook forever, but they may be enough to last until legislation to legalize and regulate online poker passes through Congress.

source:   http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/09/Online%20Poker%20is%20Prepared%20For%20a%20Fight-7268.htm?comm-page=1#comm-form

Recent seizures of internet gambling funds related to the payment processor Account Services do not appear to be the end of the U.S. Government’s war against the industry. This week, it was revealed that funds in six more accounts had been seized.

 source- http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/federal-officials-seize-additional-internet-gambling-funds-5207/

Senator Proposes Use of Internet Gambling Revenue to Help Fund Health Care Reform

 
(Washington, D.C.– September 21, 2009) An increased focus on the benefits of Internet gambling regulation are expected as the Senate Finance Committee considers a proposal introduced on Saturday to use Internet gambling revenue to offset the costs of health care reform. The amendment offered by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) would dedicate Internet gambling tax revenue generated through implementation of the currently pending Internet Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267) to increase low-income subsidies provided through the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009. A PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis shows that collecting taxes on regulated Internet gambling would allow the U.S. to capture up to $62.7 billion over the next decade.

“We applaud Senator Wyden’s proposal to collect and put to good use tens of billions in Internet gambling revenue that would otherwise be lost in the underground marketplace,” said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “The Senate Finance Committee should approve the resolution, finally putting to an end a failed prohibition on Internet gambling that leaves Americans unprotected and unlicensed offshore operators as the only beneficiary in a thriving marketplace.”

The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), introduced in May by House Committee on Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. The legislation mandates a number of significant consumer protections including safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identify theft. Additional provisions in the legislation reinforce the rights of each state to determine whether to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary.  

A companion to Chairman Frank’s legislation introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act (H.R. 2268), would raise revenue for the U.S. Treasury primarily through ensuring that applicable individual taxes, corporate taxes and license fees on regulated Internet gambling activities are collected. Without this legislation, this revenue will remain uncollected while millions of Americans gamble online without consumer protections.


 
The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online with the proper safeguards to protect consumers and ensure the integrity of financial transactions. For more information on the Initiative, please visit www.safeandsecureig.org. The Web site provides a means by which individuals can register support for regulated Internet gambling with their elected representatives.

 Source: http://www.safeandsecureig.org/

This article targets video slot machines. But the rhetoric seems to be familiar. The same arguments are thrown around whenever poker reform is debated. The Republican Party has long been an adversary to the Gambling Industry. In the poker games I tend to frequent the demographics of politics seems to be evenly mixed between Democrat and Republican. To the point of limiting discussion of politics at the tables. I've seen many heated arguments over political subjects. But among both Democrat and Republican poker players seem to be united about poker reform in Texas. 

http://www.texasgop.org/site/PageServer?pagename=library_gambling

Barron Glenn Boutte. He's the 24-year-old shot and killed while attempting to rob a Houston underground poker room earlier this month. His shooter is not being publicly identified, though police have determined Boutte's death a matter of self-defense. Club 203, where the fatal shootout occurred, has been indefinitely shut down.

A few more details about the thwarted robbery, coming to us now secondhand, as opposed to thirdhand ...

Apparently the robbery suspects confronted a player leaving the game in the parking lot, and a scuffle ensued. The first shots were reportedly fired at the door to gain entry, and the robbers continued shooting into the air once inside. They did indeed shoot one patron in the leg when he was slow to get on the ground as ordered.

Boutte's armed nemesis and several others were smoking in the break room when the melee went down. One robber supposedly told these players they'd better not be coming out without cash - thinking maybe they were hiding it - and that's when the poker-room hero emerged brandishing his own gun.

Boutte was shot at least four times in the abdomen and made it out to the parking lot before falling and dying.

A nervous wave has washed over the Houston poker underground - with action slower than normal, and some rooms looking to hire visible security.

Source: www.pokerati.com

Barron Glenn Boutte

<center><small> <form method=get action="http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search"> <input size=20 name=search> <input type=submit value="Search Open Directory"><br> <a href="http://dmoz.org/"><b>dmoz.org</b></a> </form></small></center>

In an effort to be more informative and above all to serve the poker community, we will continue to offer helpful links to sites

https://www.online-poker-rules.net/blog/

If your planning to open your very own poker room or just want to impress your friends at your next poker party. You should start with the basics.If you are starting a poker room learning to deal correctly may be one of the small problems you'll come across. We want to be helpful.

http://www.howtoshuffle.com/

Instead of a head long plung into the pool. Change must be made incrementally.Why does our government balk at even the thought of Poker law reform. Can you say Player Apathy. The poker resistance, led by the Poker Players Alliance and the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, would like nothing more than the opportunity to argue in a United States court that poker is a game of skill and its online play is not prohibited by any federal law. But little haed way can be made until we as players stand united.

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/08/the-fight-to-legalize-poker-in-united-states-continues-7108.htm

  U.S. District Judge Denise Cote said DeRosa-Grund showed a "disregard for the judicial process," and could have learned about the alleged conflict of interest had he not shown a "lack of diligence in obtaining discovery."

 http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/17/Producer_Loses_Appeal_of_Judgment_for_Poker_Pro.htm                                                                                                      

President Obama is known to play poker on occasion. This may have prompted this political satire based picture. Looks like he's gonna pretty good hand. Pre flop.

 President Obama- Only Plays Premium Hands

Mark Twain famous American author, in his short story The Science vs Luck looks at the sticky problem of luck vs skill. It seems that we can't seem to find new problems to steam over, we recycle them over and over.

Title: The Science vs Luck
Author: Mark Twain

[Written about 1867.]

At that time, in Kentucky (said the Hon. Mr. K-----); the law was very strict against what is termed "games of chance." About a dozen of the boys were detected playing "seven up" or "old sledge" for money, and the grand jury found a true bill against them. Jim Sturgis was retained to defend them when the case came up, of course. The more he studied over the matter, and looked into the evidence, the plainer it was that he must lose a case at last--there was no getting around that painful fact. Those boys had certainly been betting money on a game of chance. Even public sympathy was roused in behalf of Sturgis. People said it was a pity to see him mar his successful career with a big prominent case like this, which must go against him.

But after several restless nights an inspired idea flashed upon Sturgis, and he sprang out of bed delighted. He thought he saw his way through. The next day he whispered around a little among his clients and a few friends, and then when the case came up in court he acknowledged the seven-up and the betting, and, as his sole defense, had the astounding effrontery to put in the plea that old sledge was not a game of chance! There was the broadest sort of a smile all over the faces of that sophisticated audience. The judge smiled with the rest. But Sturgis maintained a countenance whose earnestness was even severe. The opposite counsel tried to ridicule him out of his position, and did not succeed. The judge jested in a ponderous judicial way about the thing, but did not move him. The matter was becoming grave. The judge lost a little of his patience, and said the joke had gone far enough. Jim Sturgis said he knew of no joke in the matter--his clients could not be punished for indulging in what some people chose to consider a game of chance until it was proven that it was a game of chance. Judge and counsel said that would be an easy matter, and forthwith called Deacons Job, Peters, Burke, and Johnson, and Dominies Wirt and Miggles, to testify; and they unanimously and with strong feeling put down the legal quibble of Sturgis by pronouncing that old sledge was a game of chance.

"What do you call it now?" said the judge.

"I call it a game of science!" retorted Sturgis; "and I'll prove it, too!"

They saw his little game.

He brought in a cloud of witnesses, and produced an overwhelming mass of testimony, to show that old sledge was not a game of chance but a game of science.

Instead of being the simplest case in the world, it had somehow turned out to be an excessively knotty one. The judge scratched his head over it awhile, and said there was no way of coming to a determination, because just as many men could be brought into court who would testify on one side as could be found to testify on the other. But he said he was willing to do the fair thing by all parties, and would act upon any suggestion Mr. Sturgis would make for the solution of the difficulty.

Mr. Sturgis was on his feet in a second.

"Impanel a jury of six of each, Luck versus Science. Give them candles and a couple of decks of cards. Send them into the jury-room, and just abide by the result!"

There was no disputing the fairness of the proposition. The four deacons and the two dominies were sworn in as the "chance" jurymen, and six inveterate old seven-up professors were chosen to represent the "science" side of the issue. They retired to the jury-room.

In about two hours Deacon Peters sent into court to borrow three dollars from a friend. [Sensation.] In about two hours more Dominie Miggles sent into court to borrow a "stake" from a friend. [Sensation.] During the next three or four hours the other dominie and the other deacons sent into court for small loans. And still the packed audience waited, for it was a prodigious occasion in Bull's Corners, and one in which every father of a family was necessarily interested.

The rest of the story can be told briefly. About daylight the jury came in, and Deacon Job, the foreman, read the following:

VERDICT:

We, the jury in the case of the Commonwealth of Kentucky vs. John Wheeler et al., have carefully considered the points of the case, and tested the merits of the several theories advanced, and do hereby unanimously decide that the game commonly known as old sledge or seven-up is eminently a game of science and not of chance. In demonstration whereof it is hereby and herein stated, iterated, reiterated, set forth, and made manifest that, during the entire night, the "chance" men never won a game or turned a jack, although both feats were common and frequent to the opposition; and furthermore, in support of this our verdict, we call attention to the significant fact that the "chance" men are all busted, and the "science" men have got the money. It is the deliberate opinion of this jury, that the "chance" theory concerning seven-up is a pernicious doctrine, and calculated to inflict untold suffering and pecuniary loss upon any community that takes stock in it.

"That is the way that seven-up came to be set apart and particularized in the statute-books of Kentucky as being a game not of chance but of science, and therefore not punishable under the law," said Mr. K-----. "That verdict is of record, and holds good to this day." 

-THE END-

In the July 2005 note Berns, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, wondered -- as many others did -- if the July 1 retirement announcement by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor meant that Rehnquist, who was then battling cancer, was "well enough to continue to serve on the Court?" Berns added, "While on the subject, could it be that the time might come when you might again join us at the monthly poker game?"

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2009/08/missing-rehnquist-at-the-monthly-poker-game-.html

Another bad poker movie, struggling student finds way to pay for med school by using skills taught to her by loser father.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

"Pulling Internet poker out of the shadows and into the light of the law, we have the opportunity to help our economy while protecting our families," Menendez said. "By bringing these games of skill into the mainstream, we can generate billions in revenue for businesses and the Treasury during these tough times."

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/08/a-closer-look-into-the-internet-poker-and-games-of-skill-act-7037.htm

In the ongoing battle for poker players rights. We hear arguments on both sides as to whether poker is a game of skill or is gambling. Should we not be focusing on this issue as it is a key in most states including Texas. Whether promoting gambling is against the law. If poker is a game of skill, which those of us who play and most people who have watched poker being played. Longer than flipping past W S O P events being broadcast on TV. The question seems to be a what needs to be done, to make this happen. In the '80s bingo had similar problem. And after years of debate and controversy was regulated by the Texas Lottery Commission. 

http://www.usaplayers.com/news/2009/gambling/august/courts-determine-poker-a-game-of-chance-not-skill-10749.html

Lawrence Burns, 65, was found guilty of gambling yesterday, despite arguments the real-money tournaments he organized were not gambling because poker is a game of skill. After 2 1/2 days of testimony, the Westmoreland jury took less than 2 1/2 hours to return a verdict. 


Though a judge will determine Burns’ sentence, the prosecutor has said he does not believe the offense merits jail time. Burns plans to appeal the court’s ruling. 
Though the results of the case are not too promising , we should probably all take note: while it’s not too hard to convince judges and juries that poker is different from slot machines, lotteries, craps, blackjack, roulette etc. we may even convince them that Texas Hold’em events are games of skill such as pool, darts and golf (where the pros generally win, but an amateur can always get lucky) — we’re always gonna have a really hard time persuading them to believe that poker isn’t gambling, game of skill or not those of us to play, know it as a game of skill and rely on that skill to be successful.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09225/990677-100.stm

Ignorance of the law, they say is no excuse. But as far as the poker laws go here in Texas. Ignorance may not be the problem. The question is often is this a legal game or not. How do we know for sure. So I submit for your inspection. The current gambling laws here in Texas. It may alleviate some confusion. But most likely will only add to the confusion. Good luck.

http://www.gambling-law-us.com/State-Laws/Texas/

On August 6, 2009, Senator Robert Menendez (D.-NJ) introduced his proposal to legalize Internet gambling in the U.S. Senate. The bill, S.1597, is supposed to be a companion bill to the measures introduced by Barney Frank (D.-MA) and friends in the House of Representatives. This is the common way laws are made in Congress: Similar bills are discussed simultaneously in the two houses and then reconciled in conference committee. It makes everything go faster and neater.

But the Menendez bill is to the Frank bills what a hurricane is to a summer squall. At 91 pages, it is longer, and more comprehensive, than all of the other proposals put together. Although it still needs some revisions, it answers many important question left unclear by the proposals in the House. Yet, it also is more limited, starting with the fact that it would only authorize Internet poker and other games of skill.

http://www.compatiblepoker.com/poker-rumors/menendez-bill-barney-frank-bills-on-steroids/1693

You have to love a game that can segway into foreplay with out missing a beat.

Makes you wonder why this show hasn't been picked up yet.

Texas Poker Revolution Logo is proudly displayed on the front this 100% cotton, double-needle stitching throughout, seamless rib at neck, shoulder-to-shoulder tape. Great addition for any Poker players closet. Wear This to your next Session and Scare the Donkeys half to death. Let te world know you Dedication to Poker Reform.

For the most part the boss gamblers who thrived in Texas in the 1950s and 1960s were congenial to outsiders who wanted to sit in their games. As long as you didn’t get caught cheating or shoot anyone, you were usually welcomed with open arms. However, things were a little different in Bexar County, where Tom Moore, Slim Lambert, and Red Berry were the boss gamblers for over a decade. They were a bit more proprietary than their peers, and for good reason.

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/07/from-the-poker-vaults-boss-gamblers-bexar-county-6874.htm#add-form

T.J. Cloutier  be teaching a World Poker Tour boot camp here in Dallas at the Airport Hyatt hotel over the weekend of August 8-9. This is one of the few camps we've held outside of casinos, and They're expecting a good turnout for it. Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, Nick Brancato and T.J. Cloutier will be instructors.

http://news.pokerpages.com/index.php?option=com_simpleblog&task=view&id=4272

Found this on the net.  Police raids on poker rooms. Can we find humor in a "Class C Misdemeanor"crime? Or the fact that it is considered a "crime."

  According to one half of the David Levien and Brian Koppleman writing team "Rounders 2"  may be at a theater near you. Players could expect a new flood of interest in the game if this should happen. Dust of your Teddy KGB imitations.

http://www.pokerlistings.com/irounders-2i-a-reality-42927

Players of Facebook Texas Hold‘em, have been selling chips which technically have no real value- which is why they don’t worry about US gambling laws, but this hasn’t stopped enough users from trying to sell their virtual chips online (through blogs and Ebay)to begin issuing law suits against numerous individuals for selling people play money Facebook Texas Hold‘em chips.Facebook not only begin banning players who are caught chip dumping, but now to even drag such sellers into court. 

http://www.pokerroad.com/news/posts/zynga-texas-hold-em-maybe-a-little-too-popular

Our Featured Product Of The Week-Texas Poker Revolution Logo Mug

Texas Poker Revolution Logo is proudly Displayed on this Unique Popular C-Handle Shaped mug, 2 Sided Imprinted logo, High quality ceramic with a shiny gloss finish , Holds 11ozs of your favorite beverage - Great gift for any Poker Rebel. Take the mug wherever you go! 10% of Proceeds go to promote legislation for Texas Poker Reform, 

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(Texas Poker Revolution Forum) New Threads To Serve Poker Community

Our website has added new threads (Texas Poker Revolution Forum) in order to better serve our readers in their areas. Communication is of paramount important if we are to change things here in Texas. The new threads are categorized according to region.Click tab at top of page "News By Region" if you are unsure of which region you are in.

1.Panhandle Region

2.Prairies , Lakes & Piney Woods Region

3.South Texas & Gulf Coast Region

4.Big Bend & Hill Country Region

Please use this forum to network poker games in your region. Pass on information about games in your town. Where the fish are. Were the shark swam. Were the donkeys roam. Form poker leagues. Pass on general information about the rules and etiquette of the game. Organize rallies and protests. Any pertinent poker information for your city, town or area.

A few months ago. I was contacted by Mike Lavine, Treasurer for Texas Poker PAC. it seems that Emily Ramshaw reporter for The Dallas Morning News, was interested in doing a story on underground poker here in Dallas. She wanted to sit in on the game and get some facts for her story. I did my part and the story was printed a couple of days later. Normally when underground poker establishments get press it's usually after the venue has been robbed or raided which puts a negative spin on these games. It's refreshing to see what can happen when members of the poker community and news media cooperate, for the benefit of the more informed public. 

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/dmn/stories/0125dntexpoker.42f94ae.html#slcgm_comments_anchor

Pokers elite are in Washington this week for "National Poker Week," the group has set up nearly 100 meetings with members of Congress and their aides, and plans to present a petition to President Barack Obama on Wednesday that had more than 350,000 signatures at last count. Famous poker players such as Annie Duke, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch and Greg Raymer are participating as well.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iKBjA4Mkj4PqRQcqKU3td5QsqzswD99ISG2G0

Poker Players Alliance Chairman and former Senator Alfonse D’Amato made an appearance on the famous Howard Stern Show

 D’Amato and the following statement:

“I can’t think of a more fitting way to kick off National Poker Week than having my friend, Howard Stern, become a member of the PPA. I think him for having me on his show this morning and for supporting the PPA’s efforts to protect the freedom of American citizens to play the great game of poker at the time and place of their choosing - a freedom Congress voted to take away… With Howard Stern as a member of the PPA, it shows Congress and the public that protecting Internet poker is about more than just poker - it’s about protecting Internet freedom and personal responsibility.”

http://news.bluffmagazine.com/ppa-gathers-in-dc-to-launch-national-poker-week-howard-stern-joins-ppa-6357/

We're trying to do our part for National Poker Week. and what better way do that then to give you information on how to get in touch with the politicians who are instrumental in making changes and reforming poker laws. For you on line players please get in touch with your representative in Congress via this web site:  
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm

Find out where they stand on online gaming and why they feel this way. What motivates their decisions on this issue. In preparation for this you not want read this article. 
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2006/6/2006_6_38.shtml

The best way to overcome ignorance and complacency is through facts and action. Let your representative know that you support Barney Frank and his legislation for online poker reform.

 Join the thousands of poker players from across the country who will raise their voices to help keep America's most popular game legal during National Poker Week. Take Action Now and Contact Your Legislator:

 http://www.capwiz.com/pokerplayersalliance/issues/alert/?alertid=13690391&type=CO

For those of you who play the Austin area. I have a lead for those of you who want to find games. It's the "AUSTIN POKER ALLIANCE" they're fighting the good fight in Texas capital city. Check the site out. Be a part of the growing Austin poker community. Building a stronger poker community in Texas is what this site is all about. We need your participation. As do our friends in Austin.

World Championship NL Texas Hold'em (Event 57) 
  Final Table  November 7 - 10

1.Darvin Moon 58,930,000

2.Eric Buchman 34,800,000
 
3.Steven Begleiter29,885,000
 
 4.Jeff Shulman 19,580,000

5.Joseph Cada 13,215,000
 
6. Kevin Schaffel 12,390,000

7. Phil Ivey 9,765,000

8.Antoine Saout 9,500,000

9. James Akenhead 6,800,000

 
 
Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $61,043,600
  Entries: 6,494     

                        Final Nine

Main Event-UpdateWorld Championship NL Texas Hold'em (Event 57) 

 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count

1.Eric Buchman 35,980,000
2.Steven Begleiter27,730,000
3.Darvin Moon 25,400,000
4.Jeff Shulman 22,000,000
5.Billy Kopp 17,200,000
6.Jordan Smith 15,700,000
7.Antoine Saout 12,420,000
8.Joseph Cada 12,260,000
9.Kevin Schaffel 11,300,000
10.Phil Ivey 8,400,000


 
Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $61,043,600
  Entries: 6,494  

One of the hazards of playing poker in Texas. Though we don't talk about it very often, is the hazard of the crooked game. In the movies Cincinnati Kid and Rounders, " mechanics" are able to manipulate the deck at will and through sleight of hand change the outcome of hands involving large sums of money. Often times it's very difficult to spot a mechanic, often a player feels he's been cheated but had as no proof. But most of us have experienced a mild form of cheat in the form of collusion. These usually take place in a home games or bar games. Most underground poker establishments try to run honest games, because if they don't word travels quickly and spells certain death to the game. You run more of our risk of being cheated in deal your own games than in a dealer run table.

Though this story is not from here in Texas. This is an example of the kind of over exuberant law enforcement, that we sometimes have to put up with here in Texas. In this case "Johnny Law" took a bite to out of crime and possibly caused some folks to go hungry. I guess it's a case of the ends not justifying the means. But you have to admit the officer looked very sharp and I'm sure he was just doing his job.

Texas vs. Southwest- How Texas Stacks Up




As I was crunching the numbers for Texas vs. U.S. article on Monday, I thought I wonder how we're stacking up to our neighbors across the border. I think the results speak for themselves. But I did want to throw out some facts as food for thought. Three out of our four bordering states have casinos and you would think, that would give them and a advantage. Even if you put the four bordering states together as far as population, square miles and major cities. We still beat them, put together they can't match our stats in any category. I think this is a lot to the quality of play here in Texas and the amount of poker being played here in Texas. In home games, underground games and on the Internet, Texans are playing poker and outplaying our neighbors. When my buddies and I go on trips to neighboring states to play in their casinos. We joke about taking that state's money and bringing it back to work here in Texas. 


2009 WSOP State vs State

State       Players     Bracelets    Cashes    Winnings
Texas       1,950          3            293      $5,078,092
Louisiana     111          1              31         $841,456
Oklahoma    164          0              22        $487,893
New Mexico   106          0              16        $460,371
Arkansas        75          0             10         $114,859

  W S O P Day 41

Final Results:

(Event 56) No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
1.Matthew Hawrilenko$1,003,218
2.Joshua Brikis$619,608
 3.Faraz Jaka$400,525
 4.Sean Keeton$269,983
5.Jonas Wexler$189,555
 6.Matthew Waxman$138,393
 7.Robert Kay$100,229
 8.Thorsten Schafer$100,229
 9.James St Hilaire$72,446
 10.Alexander Venovski$72,446

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $4,361,000
  Entries: 928  

               Matthew Hawrilenko

Ante Up For Africa Charity
1.Alex Bolotin$176,449
 2.Adam Richardson$109,194
 3.Rafael Furst$72,308
 4.Erik Seidel$51,601
 5.Chris "Jesus" Ferguson$38,550
 6.Phil Gordon$30,760
 7.John Hennigan$25,900
8.Matt Kay$22,970
 9.Jennifer Harman$21,439
 10.Phillip Tom$15,713

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $665,820
  Entries: 137  



Updates:
World Championship NL Texas Hold'em (Event 57) 
No Rebuy/Add-ons 
  July 3,2009 12:00 PM Day 1A (3,000 players)
  July 4,2009 12:00 PM Day 1B (3,000 players)
  July 5,2009 12:00 PM Day 1C (3,000 players)
  July 6,2009 12:00 PM Day 1D (3,000 players)
  July 7,2009 12:00 PM Day 2A
  July 8,2009 12:00 PM Day 2B
  July 9,2009 12:00 PM Media Event
  July 10,2009 12:00 PM Day 3
  July 11,2009 12:00 PM Day 4
  July 12,2009 12:00 PM Day 5
  July 13,2009 12:00 PM Day 6
  July 14,2009 12:00 PM Day 7
  July 15,2009 12:00 PM Day 8

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 1,989

  W S O P Day 38


1 Event Starts Today:

Thu, Jul 2nd 1-Day Event Ante Up For Africa Charity 
  Buy-in: $5,000  




Final Results:

(Event 54) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Tony Veckey$673,276
 2.Jason Wheeler$418,122
 3.Joseph Chaplin$276,029
 4.Sergey Konkin$195,213
5.Andrew Malott$147,131
 6.Christopher Bonita$117,358
 7.Christopher DeMaci$98,933
8.David Jaoui$87,855
 9.Miha Remic$81,970
 10.Michael Ratcliff$57,506

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,846,570
  Entries: 2,818  
 
(Event 55) 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) 3-Day Event
1.Abraham Mosseri$165,521
 2.Masayoshi Tanaka$102,313
 3.Julie Schneider$66,285
 4.John Juanda$44,941
 5.Blair Rodman$31,818
 6.Bradley Libson$23,484
 7.Kristan Lord$17,933
 8.Herezel Zalewski$17,933
 9.Nam Le$13,423
 10.Jacobo Fernandez$13,424
  
   
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $593,400
  Entries: 258  

              Abraham Mosseri

Updates:


No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (Event 56) 3-Day Event
1.Faraz Jaka 2,141,000
2.James St Hilaire 1,995,000
3.Matthew Waxman 1,924,000
4.Josh Brikis 1,863,000
5.Matt Hawrilenko 1,590,000
6.Jonas Wexler 1,300,000
7.Thorsten Schaefer 1,274,000
8.Sean Keeton 722,000
9.Robert Kay 702,000
10.Alex Venovski 508,000
Rory Mathews 489,000

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $4,361,000
  Entries: 928  

                  John Carsten

Updates:



(Event 49) World Championship H.O.R.S.E. 5-Day Event  
Here Are Top 8 Chip Count 
1. Vitaly Lunkin 3,760,000
2.Erik Sagstrom 3,395,000
3.John Hanson 3,075,000
4.Huck Seed 1,730,000
5.David Bach 1,185,000
6.Ville Wahlbeck 955,000
7.Chau Giang 0
8.Erik Seidel 0

 
   
Buy-in: $50,000
  Prizepool: $4,560,000
  Entries: 95  





(Event 52) Triple Chance No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Jorg Peisert 3,065,000
2.Jason DeWitt 1,300,000
3.Michael Katz 1,230,000
4.Benjamin Gilbert 960,000
5.Michael Noda 730,000
6.Jason Somerville 400,000
7.Karga Holt 0
6.William Erickson 0
 7.Wes Watson 0
6.Max Greenwood 0
8.Thomas Applegate0
9.Eric Lynch 0
Joe Patrick 0
  Buy-in: $3,000
  Prizepool: $2,357,040
  Entries: 854  


(Event 53) Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.William Kohler 1,290,000
2.David Halpern 810,000
3.Max Stern 0
4.Chad Brown 0
5.Matt Savage 0
6.Zak Gilbert 0
7.Brian Swinford 0
8.Allie Prescott 0
9.Richard Sklar 0
10.Vince Burgio 0
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $657,455
  Entries: 467  

(Event 55) 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Miguel Rodriguez 194,000
2.Brad Libson 149,000
3.Peter Hedlund 130,000

4.Dustin Sitar 112,000
5.Kris Lord 97,000
6.John Juanda 87,000
7.Julie Schneider 84,000
8.Justin 'Boosted J' Smith 82,000
9.Ali Sarkeshik 75,000
10.Abe Mosseri 66,000

  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $593,400
  Entries: 258  

  

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W S O P Day 35




2 Events Start Today:

Mon, Jun 29th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 54)

 Buy-in: $1,500

Mon, Jun 29th 3-Day Event 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) (Event 5)

Buy-in: $2,500

Final Results:

(Event 48) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Brandon Cantu$228,867
2.Lee Watkinson$141,873
3.Mathieu Jacqmin$92,946
4.Ted Weinstock$64,727
 5.Tommy Vedes$47,617
6.Steve Jelinek$36,893
 7.Aaron Sias$30,028
8.Ronnie Hofman$25,618
 9.William Mcmahan$22,862
 10.Sean Getzwiller$15,664

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,040,130
  Entries: 762  

(Event 50) Limit Hold’em Shootout (1,000 player max) 3-Day Event
1.Greg (FBT) Mueller$194,909
2.Marc Naalden$120,614
 3.Millie Shiu$77,138
 4.David Williams$51,145
 5.Matt Sterling$35,058
 6.Flaminio Malaguti$24,824
 7.Joseph Van Den Bijgaart$18,1368.
8.Jose Barbero$13,655
9.Andreas Hoivold$4,356
 10.Ben Ponzio$4,356

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $779,024
  Entries: 571 

                      Greg Mueller

Updates:



(Event 49) World Championship H.O.R.S.E. 5-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1. Vitaly Lunkin 1,527,000
2.Erik Sagstrom 1,315,000
3.Freddy Deeb 1,300,000
4.David Bach 1,265,000
5.Ville Wahlbeck 842,000
6.John Hanson 815,000
7.Gus Hansen 801,000
8.Mike Wattel 779,000
9.John Kabbaj 678,000
10.Huck Seed 672,000

Buy-in: $50,000
  Prizepool: $4,560,000
  Entries: 95  

(Event 51) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Thibaut Durand 1,650,000
2.Owen Crowe1,002,500
3.Josh Schlein 875,000
4.Georgios Kapalas 782,000
5.Eric Lupovich 548,000
6.Jesse Haabak 434,000
7.Diego Vilela 425,000
8.Rafael Belloso 410,000
9.Viktoria Szilasi 393,000
10.Andrew Chen 390,000

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,796,065
  Entries: 2,781  

(Event 52) Triple Chance No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
  Timothy Horan 149,000
Harris Pavlou 137,300
Karfa Holt 130,600
Antonio Esfandiari 127,900
David Bornstein120,800
Blake Cahail 120,800
Michiel Brummelhuis 120,000
Tracy Scala 119,200
Isaac Baron 114,000
Jeff Lisandro 113,800
Joe McGowan 113,700
Anthony Spinella106,700
Kirill Gerasimov 106,400
Elijah Jarosh 106,400


Buy-in: $3,000
  Prizepool: $2,357,040
  Entries: 854  

(Event 53) Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Allie Prescot 52,500
2.Jim Geary 51,000
3.Richie Sklar 44,000
4.Eldon Brown 38,100
5.George Markakis38,000
6.Annie Duke 36,600
7.Zak Gilbert 36,300
8.Jared David 34,700
9.Marcel Luske 34,300
10.Ron Miller33,100

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $657,455
  Entries: 467  

 W S O P Day 33


 

1 Event Starts Today:
Sat, Jun 27th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 51) 
  Buy-in: $1,500


Final Results:

(Event 45) World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
1.John Kabbaj$633,335
 2.Kirill Gerasimov$391,369
 3.Eric Baldwin$259,534
 4.Davidi Kitai$183,638
 5.Juan Carlos Alvarado$138,375
 6.Jason Lester$110,431
 7.Eugene Todd$93,085
 8.Isaac Haxton$82,668
 9.Darryll Fish$77,136
10.Moshin Charania$57,645

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,585,000
  Entries: 275  

(Event 46) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Derek Raymond$229,192
 2.Mark Tenner$141,647
 3.Scott Bohlman$93,199
 4.Fabio Coppola$65,094
 5.Josh Schlein$48,028
 6.Sirious Jamshidi$37,350
 7.Michael Keiner$30,562
 8.Mark Gregorich$26,213
 9.Pat Poels$23,541
 10.John Monnette$17,007
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $977,500
  Entries: 425  



(Event 47)Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) 3-Day Event 
1.Bahador Ahmadi$278,804
2.John McGuiness$172,227
 3.Ylon Schwartz$112,967
 4.Karlo (The Wizard) Lopez$78,628
 5.Barry Greenstein$57,671
 6.Matt Woodward$44,520
 7.Randy Haddox$36,084
 8.Hasan Habib$30,641
 9.Zachary Humphrey$27,199
 10.Lee Vlastaris$19,672

Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,212,100
  Entries: 527

 
W S O P Day 33

Irish Mike


W S O P Day 33


 

1 Event Starts Today:
Sat, Jun 27th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 51) 
  Buy-in: $1,500


Final Results: 
(Event 45) World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
1.John Kabbaj$633,335
 2.Kirill Gerasimov$391,369
 3.Eric Baldwin$259,534
 4.Davidi Kitai$183,638
 5.Juan Carlos Alvarado$138,375
 6.Jason Lester$110,431
 7.Eugene Todd$93,085
 8.Isaac Haxton$82,668
 9.Darryll Fish$77,136
10.Moshin Charania$57,645

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,585,000
  Entries: 275  

(Event 46) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Derek Raymond$229,192
 2.Mark Tenner$141,647
 3.Scott Bohlman$93,199
 4.Fabio Coppola$65,094
 5.Josh Schlein$48,028
 6.Sirious Jamshidi$37,350
 7.Michael Keiner$30,562
 8.Mark Gregorich$26,213
 9.Pat Poels$23,541
 10.John Monnette$17,007
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $977,500
  Entries: 425  



(Event 47)Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) 3-Day Event 
1.Bahador Ahmadi$278,804
2.John McGuiness$172,227
 3.Ylon Schwartz$112,967
 4.Karlo (The Wizard) Lopez$78,628
 5.Barry Greenstein$57,671
 6.Matt Woodward$44,520
 7.Randy Haddox$36,084
 8.Hasan Habib$30,641
 9.Zachary Humphrey$27,199
 10.Lee Vlastaris$19,672

Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,212,100
  Entries: 527  

Updates:


(Event 48) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 9 Chip Count  
1.Brandon Cantu 1,025,000
2.Jacqmin Mathieu 552,000
3.Lee Watkinson 412,000
4.Aaron Sias 353,000
5.Tommy Vedes 334,000
6.Steve Jelinek 260,000
7.Ted Weinstock 250,000
8.William McMahan 168,000
9.Ronnie Hofman 76,000
 
 Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,040,130
  Entries: 762  

(Event 49) World Championship H.O.R.S.E. 5-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Hasan Habib 387,000
2.Martin Vallo 347,200
3.Matt Glantz 300,000
4.Pat Bueno289,500
5.David Benyamine 282,200
6.Andy Black 264,700
7.Chris Ferguson 259,600
8.Michael Saltzburg 252,400
9.Justin 'Boosted J' Smith 246,100
10.Farzad Bonyadi 241,000


Buy-in: $50,000
  Prizepool: $4,560,000
  Entries: 95  

(Event 50) Limit Hold’em Shootout (1,000 player max) 3-Day Event
1.Qinghai Pan 45,000
2.Millie Shiu 45,000
3.Jose Barbero 45,000
4.David Williams 45,000
5.Peter Panos 45,000
6.Robert Tanniru 45,000
7.Keith Ray 45,000
8.Flaminio Malaguti 45,000
9Ro.nald Witteles 45,000
10. Lap-Ki Wan 45,000


  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 571  



                Bahador Ahmadi

Updates:


(Event 48) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 9 Chip Count  
1.Brandon Cantu 1,025,000
2.Jacqmin Mathieu 552,000
3.Lee Watkinson 412,000
4.Aaron Sias 353,000
5.Tommy Vedes 334,000
6.Steve Jelinek 260,000
7.Ted Weinstock 250,000
8.William McMahan 168,000
9.Ronnie Hofman 76,000
 
 Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,040,130
  Entries: 762  

(Event 49) World Championship H.O.R.S.E. 5-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Hasan Habib 387,000
2.Martin Vallo 347,200
3.Matt Glantz 300,000
4.Pat Bueno289,500
5.David Benyamine 282,200
6.Andy Black 264,700
7.Chris Ferguson 259,600
8.Michael Saltzburg 252,400
9.Justin 'Boosted J' Smith 246,100
10.Farzad Bonyadi 241,000


Buy-in: $50,000
  Prizepool: $4,560,000
  Entries: 95  

(Event 50) Limit Hold’em Shootout (1,000 player max) 3-Day Event
1.Qinghai Pan 45,000
2.Millie Shiu 45,000
3.Jose Barbero 45,000
4.David Williams 45,000
5.Peter Panos 45,000
6.Robert Tanniru 45,000
7.Keith Ray 45,000
8.Flaminio Malaguti 45,000
9Ro.nald Witteles 45,000
10. Lap-Ki Wan 45,000


  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 571  

  

W S O P Day 32


 

2 Events Start Today:

Fri, Jun 26th 5-Day Event World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (Event 49) 
  Buy-in: $50,000

Fri, Jun 26th 3-Day Event Limit Hold’em Shootout (1,000 player max) (Event 50) 
  Buy-in : $1,500


Final Results:

(Event 45) World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
1.John Kabbaj$633,335
 2.Kirill Gerasimov$391,369
 3.Eric Baldwin$259,534
 4.Davidi Kitai$183,638
 5.Juan Carlos Alvarado$138,375
 6.Jason Lester$110,431
 7.Eugene Todd$93,085
 8.Isaac Haxton$82,668
 9.Darryll Fish$77,136
 10.Moshin Charania$57,645

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,585,000
  Entries: 275  

(Event 46) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Derek Raymond$229,192
 2.Mark Tenner$141,647
 3.Scott Bohlman$93,199
 4.Fabio Coppola$65,094
 5.Josh Schlein$48,028
 6.Sirious Jamshidi$37,350
7.Michael Keiner$30,562
 8.Mark Gregorich$26,213
 9.Pat Poels$23,541
 10.John Monnette$17,007

Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $977,500
  Entries: 425

                   Derek Raymond

Updates:





(Event 47)Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) 3-Day Event 
Here Are Top 9 Chip Count
1.Karlo Lopez 941,000
2.Bahador Ahmadi 708,000
3.John McGuiness 605,000
4.Randy Haddox 555,000
5.Matt Woodward 348,000
6.Ylon Schwartz 286,000
7.Barry Greenstein 190,000
8.Hasan Habib 150,000
9.Zachary Humphrey 10,000
 
 
 
   
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,212,100
  Entries: 527  


(Event 48) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Brandon Cantu 177,000
2.Perry Friedman 144,500
3.Tommy Vedes 119,300
4.Barry Craig 114,600
5.Ray Bonavida 104,600
6.Noah Boeken 103,000
7.Don Harris 95,900
8.Rodeen Talebi 93,000
9.Jacqmin Mathieu 71,500
10.Ali Aljenabi 71,000

Buy-in: $1,500
Prizepool: $1,040,130
  Entries: 762  

W S O P Day 31


 

1 Event Starts Today:
Thu, Jun 25th 3-Day Event Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (Event 48) 
  Buy-in: $1,500  


Final Results: 
(Event 43) Seniors NL Hold’em World Championship 3-Day Event 
1.Michael Davis$437,358
2.Scotty Buller$268,507
3.Barry Bounds$179,210
 4.Michael Joseph Morusty$126,863
 5.Charles Simon$95,332
 6.Dan Delatorre$76,118
 7.Art Duncan$64,047
 8.Richard McCall$56,903
 9.Robert Beck$53,208
 10.Mitch Garshofsky$37,270

 Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $2,463,700
  Entries: 2,707  


(Event 44) Seven Card Razz 3-Day Event 
1.Jeffrey Lisandro$188,390
 2.Michael Craig$116,405
 3.Ryan Fisler$76,260
4.Warwick Mirzikinian$52,772
 5.Eric Rodawig$38,470
 6.Kenna James$29,472
7.Steven Diano$23,669
 8.Allen Bari$19,880
 9.Don Zewin$15,569
10.Al Barbieri$15,569
 
 Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $792,500
  Entries: 315

          Jeffrey Lisandro

Updates:




(Event 45) World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.John Kabbaj 1,867,000
2.Davidi Kitai 1,737,000
3.Isaac Haxton 1,139,000
4.Eric 'basebaldy' Baldwin 1,115,000
5.J.C. Alvarado 810,000
6.Kirill Gerasimov 621,000
7.Jason Lester 386,000
8.Eugene Todd 341,000
9.Darryll Fish 241,000
10.Mohsin Charania 0.

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,585,000
  Entries: 275

(Event 46) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Mark Tenner 500,000
2.Patrice Boudet 420,000
3.Josh Schlein 390,000
4.Michael Keiner320,000
5.Mark Gregorich 215,000
6.Derek Raymond 210,000
7.Fabio Coppola 190,000
8.Sirous Jamshidi 170,000
9.Jeff Tunkel 160,000
10.J.W. Smith 120,000


Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $977,500
  Entries: 425  

(Event 47)Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) 3-Day Event 
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 1. Barry Greenstein 217,000
2.Hasan Habib 165,000
3.Brandon Demes 125,000
4.Bahador Ahmadi 122,100
5.Alexander Jung 120,200
6.Eli Elezra 108,800
7.Francois Billard 105,000
8.Frank Sinopoli 104,200
9.Daniel Negreanu 101,000
10.Omar Abede 100,900

Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,212,100
  Entries: 528  


  

W S O P Day 30


 

1 Event Starts Today:
Wed, Jun 24th 3-Day Event Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) (Event 47) 
  Buy-in: $2,500  


Final Results: 
(Event 39) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Ray Foley$657,969
2.Brandon Cantu$403,951
 3.Wei Mu$269,609
4.Alex Jacob$190,857
5.Tyler Spalding$143,421
6.Jonathan Markham$114,514
 7.Chairud Vangchailued$96,355
 8.Richard Lutes$85,6089.Patrick O'Connor$80,049
 10.Matt Livingston$56,071

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,705,975
  Entries: 2,715  

(Event 40) World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event
1.Matthew Graham$679,402
 2.Vitaly Lunkin$419,832
3.Van Marcus$278,409
4.Robin Keston$196,993
 5.Ferit Gabriellson$148,438
 6.Stefan Mattsson$118,462
 7.Josh Arieh$99,855
 8.Richard Austin$88,680
 9.Barry Greenstein$82,746
 10.Nathan Doudney$61,837

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,773,000
  Entries: 295

         Matthew Graham  

(Event 41) NL Hold'em Shootout (1,000 player max) 3-Day Event
1.Peter Traply$348,755
 2.Andrew Lichtenberger$215,402
 3.Maxim Lykov$145,062
 4.Danny Wong$105,609
 5.Nasr El Nasr$82,697
 6.Barney Boatman$16,739
 7.David "Dragon" Pham$16,739
 8.Phil Ivey$16,739
 9.Peter Feldman$16,739
 10.Mark Radoja$16,739

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $1,316,000
  Entries: 280  

(Event 42) Mixed Event 3-Day Event
1.Jerrod Ankenman$241,654
 2.Sergey Altbregin$149,341
 3.Chris Klodnicki$97,896
 4.Jeff Tims$67,848
 5.Jon Turner$49,568
6.Eric Crain$38,074
 7.Layne Flack$30,673
 8.Dario (Ryu) Alioto$25,860
 9.Jimmy Fricke$18,099
 10.Adam Friedman$18,099

  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $947,600
  Entries: 412  



Updates:

(Event 43) Seniors NL Hold’em World Championship 3-Day Event 
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Tom Thomas 917,000
2.Charles Simon 626,000
3.Scott Buller 541,000
4.John Bennett 487,000
5.Zip Vitullo 420,000
6.Richard McCall 414,000
7.Barry Bounds 342,000
8.David Posey 342,000
9.Mitch Garshofsky 309,000
10.Ted Garner 303,000
 
  Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $2,463,700
  Entries: 2,707  

 

(Event 44) Seven Card Razz 3-Day Event 
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count

1.Jeff Lisandro 438,000
2.Steve Diano 302,000
3.Don Zewin 300,000
4.Kenna James 284,000
5.Warwick Mirzikinian 191,000
6.Ryan Fisler 190,000
7.William Cole 182,000
8.Michael Craig 102,000
8.Al 'Sugar Bear' Barbieri 99,000
10.Eric Rodawig 75,000


Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $792,500
  Entries: 315  

(Event 45) World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count

1.Michiel Brummelhuis 330,200
2.Toto Leonidas 241,100
3.Kirill Gerasimov213,200
4.Darryll Fish 209,100
5.Masaaki Kagawa 194,900
6.David Pham 187,500
7.Kwang Lee 182,400
8.Michael Kamran 180,000
9.Tim Kahlmeyer 178,300
10.John Kabbaj 176,800

 

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,585,000
  Entries: 275  

(Event 46) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Joshua Schlein 60,700
2.Thang Luu 56,200
3.Scott Bohlman 48,300
4.Eddie Im 47,000
5.Jeff Tunkel 45,300
6.Armando Ruiz 44,000
7.Kyle Bowker 40,300
8.Can Hua 38,400
9.Mickey Appleman 37,200

  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $977,500
  Entries: 425  

Today, the Poker Players' Alliance holds a press conference in Las Vegas to announce the dates of the National Poker Week.

The National Poker Week is a "coordinated grassroots advocacy effort focused on educating lawmakers in Washington D.C. on the benefits of protecting the game of poker."

It will take place on July 19-25.

The National Poker Week is a combined initiative by the Poker Players' Alliance and a couple of politicians: congress woman Rep. Shelley Berkley and former Senator Alfonse D'Amato, chairman of the PPA.

At today's press conference in The Rio All Suites Hotel, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Alfonse D'Amato and PPA Executive Director John Pappas as well as a number of poker professionals are present to discuss the initiative.

The press conference takes place at 11 AM in Pavilion 11 in the WSOP main hallway area.

Interested parties are to contact Teresa Schofield at tschofield@theheraldgroup.com.

For more information see the PPA homepage.

http://theppa.org/press-releases/2009/06/22/ppa-announces-national-poker-week-july-19-25/

W S O P Day 28


 

2 Events Start Today:
Mon, Jun 22nd
3-Day Event Seniors No-Limit Hold’em World Championship (Event 43) 
  Buy-in: $1,000

Mon, Jun 22nd
3-Day Event Seven Card Razz (Event 44) 
  Buy-in: $2,500  

Final Results: 


 (Event 36) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Jordan Smith$586,212
 2.Ken Lennaard$360,439
 3.Laurence Grondin$237,537
 4.Joe Morneau$166,584
 5. Anthony Roux$120,311
6.Pat Atchison$95,631
7.Almira Skripchenko$78,664
 8.Andrew Seden$67,867
 9.Jonathan Plens$61,081
 10.Warren Woodall $42,880

  Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $3,084,900
  Entries: 1,695  

(Event 37) World Championship Seven Card Stud H/L-8 3-Day Event
1.Jeffrey Lisandro$431,656
 2.Farzad Rouhani$266,804
 3.Mike Wattel$176,605
 4.Francis Mariani$124,684
 5.Yan Chen$93,513
 6.Abraham Mosseri$74,258
 7.Doyle Brunson$62,234
 8.Justin Smith$54,896
 9.Anthony Rivera$41,885
 10.Perry Friedman$41,885

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,541,600
  Entries: 164  

(Event 38) Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Marc Naalden$190,770
 2.Steve Cowley$117,902
 3.Ian Johns$77,576
 4.Tam (Tommy) Hang$54,182
 5.Alex Keating$39,977
 6.Danny Qutami$31,088
 7.Jared O'Dell$25,439
 8.Jameson Painter$21,819
 9.Ralph (Rep) Porter$19,594
 10.Doug Young$14,156

  Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $811,720
  Entries: 446

                      Marc Naalden

Updates:

 
 (Event 39) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Michele Iacovone1,605,200
2.Ray Foley 1,302,000
3.Shawn Glines 1,150,000
4.Steve Banner 745,000
5.Chairud Vangchailued 707,000
6.Nam Le 500,100
7.Wei Mu 500,000
8.Mohsin Charania 471,000
9.Joe Bartholdi 460,000
10.Alex Jacob 433,000

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,705,975
  Entries: 2,715  


(Event 40) World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Ferit Gabriellson 1,260,000
Stefan Mattsson 840,000
Robin Keston 650,000
Josh Arieh 602,000
Vitaly Lunkin 595,000
Howard Lederer 525,000
Richard Austin 470,000
Matt Vengrin 450,000
Chau Giang 450,000
Noah Schwartz 420,000
Matt Graham 411,000

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,773,000
  Entries: 295  

(Event 41) NL Hold'em Shootout (1,000 player max) 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1. Roland Isra 290,000
2.Davidi Kitai 275,000
3.David Baker 252,000
4.Mark Teltscher 235,000
5.Maxim Lykov 224,000
6.Nasr El Nasr 208,000
7.Phil Ivey 203,000
8.Danny Wong 193,000
9.David 'The Dragon' Pham 185,000
10.Jean 'Prince' Gaspard 185,000
Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $1,316,000
  Entries: 280  

(Event 42) Mixed Event 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 Steve Billirakis 59,275
Andrew Black 58,200
Nick Frangos 54,550
Thayer Rasmussen 48,425
Dario Alioto 47,175
Eric Crain 46,200
Miguel Rodriguez 45,000
Frank Hernandez 43,700
Keith Lehr 42,500
Diego Cordovez 41,500
Jon 'Pearljammer' Turner 41,275

Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $947,600
  Entries: 412  

2009 WSOP State vs State

State                   Players       Bracelets         Cashes     Winnings
 California            3,430             4                 655         $9,043,518
 Nevada               1,394             5                 331         $8,579,514
 New York              710               1                 190        $3,140,222
 Texas               1,198               1                 198         $2,946,494
 Florida                 814               1                 172         $2,674,068
 New Jersey           310               0                   88         $2,300,914
 Michigan             378                1                   78         $1,691,804
 Illinois               596                 0                  105        $1,644,955
 Pennsylvania        286               1                   63         $1,636,772

W S O P Day 26

 

2 Events Start Today:

Sat, Jun 20th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 39) 
  Buy-in: $1,500

Sat, Jun 20th 3-Day Event World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 40) 
  Buy-in: $10,000  

Final Results: 
 
(Event 35) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event
No Prize Amounts At This Time
1.Richard Austin$0
2.Sorel Mizzi$0
3.Cliff (JohnnyBax) Josephy$0
 4.Dan Hindin$0
 5.Rifat Palevic$0
 6.Felipe Ramos$0
7.Van Marcus$0
8.Peter Jetten$0
 9.Samuel Ngai$0
 10.Isaac Baron$0
  
   
  Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $1,706,100
  Entries: 363  

                       Richard Austin

Updates:

(Event 36) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Steven Tabb 1,086,000
2.Andrew Seden 995,000
3.Warren Woodall 881,000
4.Pat Atchison 852,000
5.Andrew White 808,000
6.Jordan Smith 800,000
7.Jack Powell 679,000
8.Laurence Grondin 608,000
9.Anthony Roux 561,000
10.Corwin Cole 447,000

Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $3,084,900
  Entries: 1,695  






(Event 37) World Championship Seven Card Stud H/L-8 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Abe Mosseri 950,000
2.Jeff Lisandro 786,000
3.Doyle Brunson 525,000
4.Farzad Rouhani 494,000
5.Yan Chen 476,000
6.Perry Friedman 378,000
7.Lyle Berman 333,000
8.Scotty Nguyen 298,000
9.Frank Mariani 267,000
10.Justin 'Boosted J' Smith 237,000



  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,541,600
  Entries: 164  




(Event 38) Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.David Baker 72,100
2.Jeff Wagner 59,200
3.Simen Sagstuen 58,400
4.Tommy Hang 58,000
5.Soheil Shamseddin 51,000
6.Diego Cordovez 50,400
7.Ian Johns 49,700
8.Ron Burke 47,600
9.Marvin Wassermann 44,800
10.Scott Shew 43,000


Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: tbd  

W S O P Day 25

 

1 Event Starts Today:

Fri, Jun 19th 3-Day Event Limit Hold’em (Event 38) 
  Buy-in: $2,000  

Final Results: 
 
(Event 34) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Eric Baldwin$521,991
 2.Jonas Klausen$322,371
 3.James Taylor$213,045
 4.Benjamin Scholl$150,132
 5.Roland De Wolfe$112,957
 6.Andrew Youngblood$89,221
 7.Steven Bradbury$74,351
 8.Martin Jacobson$65,486
 9.Eric DeFontes$60,339
 10.Young Phan$42,895

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $2,859,675
  Entries: 2,095

                     Eric Baldwin

Updates:


(Event 35) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Cliff 'JohnnyBax' Josephy 1,027,000
2.Rifat Palevic 989,000
3.Sorel Mizzi 869,000
4.Richard Austin 563,000
5.Van Marcus 544,000
6.Felipe Ramos 452,000
7.Dan Hindin 430,000
8.Peter Jetten 430,000
9.Samuel Ngai 182,000
10.Isaac Baron 0
 
   
  Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $1,706,100
  Entries: 363  


(Event 36) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Jamie Roberts 185,000
2.Corwin Cole 172,000
3.Balazs Botond 160,000
4.Guillaume De La Gorce 148,700
5.Danny Anton 146,000
6.Philip Sparta 145,000
7.Dustin Dirksen 145,000
8.Jordan Rich 135,000
9.Jordan Smith 130,000
10.Jonathan Plens 123,800

Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $3,084,900
  Entries: 1,695  


(Event 37) World Championship Seven Card Stud H/L-8 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Tuan Le 208,000
Lyle Berman 155,000
Dario Minieri 130,000
Jeff Lisandro 125,000
Eric Brix 123,000
Frank Mariani 102,000
Richard Sklar 96,200
Frank Kassela 95,000
Tom Schneider 83,300
Scotty Nguyen 83,000
Tad Jurgens 82,500
William Buckley 81,000


  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,541,600
  Entries: 164  

W S O P Day 23

1 Event Starts Today:


Wed, Jun 17th 3-Day Event Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 35) 
  Buy-in: $5,000


Final Results: 
 
(Event 29) World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
1.Leo Wolpert$625,682
 2.John Duthie$386,636
 3.Jamin Stokes$214,289
 4.Nathan Doudney$214,289
5.Johnny Chan$92,580
 6.Dustin (Neverwin) Woolf$92,580
 7.Stephen O'Dwyer$92,580
 8.Bryan Pellegrino$92,580
 9.Roberto Romanello$38,424
 10.Clavet Mathieu$38,424

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,406,400
  Entries: 256  


(Event 30) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
1.J.C. Tran$235,685
 2.Jeff Kimber$145,656
 3.Jean-philipp Leandri$95,837
 4.Ross Boatman$66,936
 5.Dallas Flowers$49,387
 6.Rami Boukai$38,407
 7.Chad Layne$31,427
 8.Theo Jorgensen$26,955
 9.John Juanda$24,207
 10.Leif Force$17,488
 
   
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,002,800
  Entries: 436  

                     J.C. Tran

(Event 31) H.O.R.S.E. 3-Day Event
1.James Van Alstyne$247,033
 2.Tad Jurgens$152,654
 3.Mitch Schock$100,165
 4.Bryan Micon$69,505
 5.Shannon Shorr$50,881
 6.Brian Malcolm$39,183
 7.Fabrice Soulier$31,657
 8.Ronald Schiffman$26,780
 9.Farzad Rouhani$19,265
 10.Lana Maier$19,265

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,051,050
  Entries: 770  


Updates:



 (Event 32) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Jason Boyes 976,000
2.Mika Paasonen 894,000
3.Neng Lee 830,000
4.Chris Macneil 735,000
5.Jim Pannell 644,000
6.Antoine Amourette 644,000
7.Eric Ladny 550,000
8.Angel Guillen 496,000
9.Peter Feldman 485,000
10.David Vu 417,000

Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $2,791,880
  Entries: 1,534  


(Event 33) World Championship Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
Kenny Hsiung 831,000
Michiel Brummelhuis 687,000
Mark Klecan 603,000
Matt Hawrilenko 601,000
Chad Brown 545,000
Greg 'FBT' Mueller 485,000
Matt Glantz 483,000
Soheil Shamseddin 385,000
Daniel Alaei 330,000
Pat Pezzin 300,000
Maria Ho 228,000
Jennifer Harman 126,000
 
 Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $2,791,880
  Entries: 1,534  

   
 
(Event 34) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.James Taylor 174,400
2.Scott Dorsch 172,100
3.Cody Slaubaugh 140,200
4.Martin Jacobson 127,300
5.Steven Bradbury 108,700
6.Randy Pfeifer 103,600
7.Ray Spencer 98,800
8.Eric Baldwin 96,300
9.Eugene Katchalov 90,600
10.Roberto Romanello 89,400




  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $2,859,675
  Entries: 2,095  

W S O P Day 22

1 Event Starts Today :

Tue, Jun 16th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 34) 
  Buy-in: $1,500

Final Results: 
(Event 28) No-Limit Hold’em 3 -Day Event
1.Mike Eise$639,331
 2.Jeff Chang$392,494
3.Adolfo Ramirez$261,963
 4.Jason Potter$185,444
 5.Barry Berger$139,353
6.Zachary Fritz$111,266
 7.Avi Braz$93,622
 8.Jose Franco$83,180
 9.Michael Zulke$77,778
 10.Joseph Brattole $54,481

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,600,870
  Entries: 2,638 Rebuys & Add-ons: 148  



                      Mike Eise

Updates:

(Event 29) World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 2 Chip Count & 8 Place Paid Out
1.Leo Wolpert 5,465,000
2.John Duthie 2,215,000
3.Jamin Stokes$214,289
 4.Nathan Doudney$214,289
 5.Johnny Chan$92,580
 6.Dustin (Neverwin) Woolf$92,580
 7.Stephen O'Dwyer$92,580
 8.Bryan Pellegrino$92,580
 9.Roberto Romanello$38,424
 10.Clavet Mathieu$38,424

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,406,400
  Entries: 256  


 
   
(Event 30) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 9 Chip Count 
1.Ross Boatman 718,000
2.Jeff Kimber 525,000
3.Theo Jorgensen 419,000
4.JC Tran 387,000
5.Rami Boukai 325,000
6.Jean-Philippe Leandri 324,000
7.Dallas Flowers 239,000
8.Chad Layne 206,000
9.John Juanda 129,000

 
   
   
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,002,800
  Entries: 436  
   

(Event 31) H.O.R.S.E. 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Fabrice Soulier351,000
Shannon Shorr 323,500
Mitch Schock 285,000
Brian Malcolm 247,500
Ron 'Schifty' Schiffman 224,000
Paul Evans 212,000
Phillip Marmorstein 209,500
Tad Jurgens 166,500
Joe Serock 152,500
Chris Bjorin 143,000
Sebastien Sabic 138,500
Farzad Rouhani 134,500

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,051,050
  Entries: 770  


(Event 32) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Shan Jing 137,400
2.Daniel Makowsky 127,900
3.Ed Chang 121,900
4.Peter Feldman 116,700
5.Sergey Rybachenko 111,900
6.Ken Lennaard 109,200
7.Ryan Broderick 102,900
8.Alex Bolotin 100,700
9.Charles Dolan 97,500
10.Justin Scott 93,500

Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $2,791,880
  Entries: 1,534  


(Event 33) World Championship Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
1.Jennifer Harman 127,600
2.Mark Klecan 117,000
3.Maria Ho 113,400
4.Josh Arieh 112,100
5.Shaun Deeb 106,000
6.Mark Teltscher 99,900
7.Randall Mccallum 95,000
8.Kyle Ray 90,300
9.Dmitry Gromov 87,800
 10.Chino Rheem 87,400

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,739,000
  Entries: 185  

W S O P Day 21

2 Events Start Today :
Mon, Jun 15th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 32) 
  Buy-in: $2,000  
Mon, Jun 15th 3-Day Event World Championship Limit Hold'em (Event 33) 
  Buy-in: $10,000


Final Results: 

(Event 24) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Pete Vilandos$607,256
2.Andy Seth$372,855
 3.Michael Greco$248,855
 4.Glenn Mccaffrey$176,165
 5.Dean Hamrick$132,380
 6.Alan Jaffray$105,699
 7.David Lerman$88,937
 8.Souvanh Vilayvanh$79,017
 9.Brian Fitzpatrick$73,886
 10.ernst hermans$51,755

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,420,690
  Entries: 2,506  

(Event 25) Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Phil Ivey$220,538
 2.Ming Lee$136,292
 3.Juan Carlos Mortense$89,342
 4.Russ (Dutch) Boyd$61,919
 5.Jon Turner$45,237
 6.Eric Buchman$34,747
 7.Thomas Koral$27,993
 8.Peter Gelencser$23,600
 9.Steve Wang$16,517
 10.Matthew Kelly$16,517


Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 376  

(Event 26) Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Tomas Alenius$197,509
 2.Jason Tam$121,999
 3.Al Barbieri$80,072
 4.Glenn Engelbert$55,575
 5.Demetrios Arvanetes$40,681
 6.Dominick Kulicki$31,324
 7.Ralph (Rep) Porter$25,312
 8.Kim-Phong Duong$21,415
 9.Cole Miller$18,931
 10.Richard Brodie$13,542

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $877,695
  Entries: 643  


(Event 27) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Roland De Wolfe$246,616
 2.Brett Richey$152,618
 3.Scott Clements$101,063
 4.Robert Campbell$72,121
 5.Alexander Kravchenko$53,881
 6.Andrew Black$42,993
 7.John Racener$36,200
 8.Armando Ruiz II$32,105
 9.Anthony Lellouche$29,965
 10.Stewart Yancik$21,962

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $470,000
Entries: 198





                               Roland De Wolfe


   
Updates:

 (Event 28) No-Limit Hold’em 3 -Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Mike Eise 1,510,000
2.Rico Ramirez 1,457,000
3.Jason 'JP_OSU' Potter 1,348,000
4.Mike Zulker 1,053,000
5.Jeff Chang 1,015,000
6.Jose Luis Franco 960,000
7.Mikkel Madsen 690,000
8.Jake Solis 655,000
9.Joey Brattole 638,000
10.Joe Simmons 511,000

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,600,870
  Entries: 2,638 Rebuys & Add-ons: 148

   
(Event 29) World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 9 Chip Count
1.Nathan Doudney 1,920,000
2.John Duthie 1,473,000
3.Leo Wolpert 1,421,000
4.Johnny Chan 1,203,000
5.Jamin Stokes 717,000
6.Dustin Woolf 499,000
7.Steve O'Dwyer 447,000
9.Bryan Pellegrino 0

 
   

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,406,400
  Entries: 256  


 
   
(Event 30) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.JC Tran 200,000
2.Loren Klein 134,000
3.Mark Tademy 126,000
4.Len Ashby 123,500
5.Chad Layne 106,000
6.David Ewing 95,100 
 7.Jakcob Elbaz 95,000
8.Andrew Batey 93,000
9.Hertzel Zalewski 91,800
10.Anders Taylor 91,000

   
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,002,800
  Entries: 436  
   

(Event 31) H.O.R.S.E. 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Jean 'Prince' Gaspard 58,000
2.Eric Kurtzman 57,000
3.Andy Black 46,000
4.William Buckley 43,300
5.Tianxiong Fu 41,500
6.Al 'Sugar Bear' Barbieri 39,000
7.Rodney Pardey 38,000
8.Chris Bjorin 31,100
9.Vanessa Rousso 31,000
10.Bill Blanda 30,300
 

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,051,050
  Entries: 770  

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W S O P Day 20

2 Events Start Today :

Sun, Jun 14th
 3-Day Event Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 30) 
  Buy-in: $2,500  
Sun, Jun 14th
3-Day Event H.O.R.S.E. (Event 31) 
  Buy-in: $1,500  

Final Results: 


(Event 22) No-Limit Hold'em Shootout 3-Day Event  
1.Jeff Carris$313,673
 2.Jason Somerville$194,004
 3.Andrew Margolis$124,158
 4.Chris Moore$82,322
 5.Joseph Cutler$56,440
 6.Brandon Wong$39,968
 7.Eugene Katchalov$29,195
 8.Michael McNeil$21,981
 9.Joshua Tieman$17,045
 10.Mike Shannon$13,609 

 
  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,365,000
  Entries: 1,000  

(Event 23) World Championship 2-7 Draw Lowball (No-Limit) 3-Day Event
1.Nick Schulman$279,742
 2.Ville Wahlbeck$172,864
 3.Steve Sung$112,042
 4.John Juanda $75,964
5.Archie Karas$53,783
 6.Vince Musso$39,697
 7.David Benyamine$30,492
 8.Michael Binger$24,545
 9.Justin Smith$19,871
 10.Roland De Wolfe$19,871
  

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $902,400
  Entries: 96  
  
   
(Event 24) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
No prize amounts available at this time.
1.Panayote 'Pete' Vilandos 
2.Andy 'BKiCe' Seth 
 3.Michael Greco
4.Glenn McCaffrey 
 5.Dean Hamrick 
6. Alan Jaffray 
 7.David Lerman 
8. Ronnie Kevin 
 9.Brian Fitzpatrick 
10. Ernst Hermans 

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,420,690
  Entries: 2,506  

(Event 25) Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better 3-Day Event
No prize amounts available at this time.
1.Phil Ivey 
 2.Ming Lee 
3.Carlos Mortensen 
 4.Dutch Boyd 
 5.Jon Turner 
6. Eric Buchman 
7. Tom Koral 
8.Peter Gelencser 
 9.Steve Wong 
 10.Matt Kelly 


Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 376

                           Phil Ivey 


Updates:





(Event 26) Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Al 'Sugar Bear' Barbieri 400,000
2.Demetrios Arvanetes 350,000
3.Tomas Alenius 322,000
4.Kim-Phong Duong 272,000
5.Ken Dickenson 230,00
6.Rep Porter 196,000
7.Glenn D. Engelbert 173,000
8.Andrew Kerstine 161,000
9.Richard Brodie 152,000
10.Jason Tam 144,000

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $877,695
  Entries: 643  
   
(Event 27) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Scott Clements 801,000
2.Anthony Lellouche 533,000
3.Roland De Wolfe 386,000
4.Alex Kravchenko 267,000
5.Brett Richey 238,000
6.John Racener 214,000
7.Armando Ruiz II 192,000
8. Andrew Black 182,000
9 Robert Campbell 152,000
 10.Stewart Yancik 0

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $470,000
Entries: 198
(Event 28) No-Limit Hold’em 3 -Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Van Dung Nguyen 218,000
2.Zach Fritz 154,000
3.Mats Gavatin 131,800
4.Marco Johnson 126,200
5.Arthur Evans 125,800
 6.Magne Bo 117,300
7.Adam Lippert 112,000
8.Anthony Nardi 106,700
9.Jon Jarvinen 100,200
10.Evan Wrenn 99,400

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 2,638
   
(Event 29) World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 Kyle Brossia 120,000
Jeff 'ActionJeff' Garza 120,000
Steve O'Dwyer 120,000
 Jamin Stokes 120,000
Jamie Armstrong 120,000
Justin Filtz 120,000
Clavet Mathieu 120,000
Jason Senti 120,000
Antonio Esfandiari 120,000
Andrew Lichtenberger 120,000
Vanessa Rousso 120,000


Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $2,406,400
  Entries: 256  
   

The Southern District of New York has frozen funds in several banks used by PokerStars and Full Tilt.
In response to this PokerStars and Full Tilt, are not currently allowing customers to select the eChecks option. This may cause temporary inconvenience to some online players. But for the long-term, chances are but they will not lose their bankroll. This is most likely a U.S. Attorney trying to make the news, and should have no real long-term effect on the on line poker industry as a whole. The problem seems to be that poker players and the poker industry are easy targets for politicians looking for headlines. Whether on a national level or our local Main Street. Here in Texas from time to time you'll see local police departments taking a bite out of crime by arresting poker room operators and ticketing players. The laws are so vague that the charges usually don't hold up. But it allows a district attorney or police chief to dance in the spot light for their 15 minutes. We as poker players must stand together and work toward change. You can get involved with The P P A ( Poker Players Alliance )@http://theppa.org/, on a national or statewide level. You may also signed the petition, here on this website.



http://www.pokerpages.com/poker-news/news/poker-players-alliance-criticizes-seizure-of-online-poker-players-money-31715.htm


http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/united-states-federal-government-freezes-30-million-in-online-poker-funds-2830/


http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/6925-ppa-disappointed-by-seizure-of-online-poker-funds

W S O P Day 19

2 Events Start Today :

Sat, Jun 13th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 28) 
  $1,500  
Sat, Jun 13th 3-Day Event World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em (Event 29) 
  $10,000  


Final Results: 


(Event 22) No-Limit Hold'em Shootout 3-Day Event  
  No prize amounts available at this time.
1. Jeffrey Carris 
 2.Jason Somerville 
3. Andrew Margolis 
 4.Christopher Moore 
 5.Joseph Cutler 
6. Brandon Wong 
7 Eugene Katchalov .
8. Michael Mcneil 
9. Josh Tieman 
10. Mike Shannon 
 

 
  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,365,000
  Entries: 1,000  

(Event 23) World Championship 2-7 Draw Lowball (No-Limit) 3-Day Event
  No prize amounts available at this time.
1. Nick Schulman 
2. Ville Wahlbeck 
3. Steve Sung 
4. John Juanda 
5. Archie Karas 
 6.Vince Musso 
7. David Benyamine .
 8Michael Binger 
 9.Justin 'BoostedJ' Smith 
10. Roland de Wolfe 
 

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $902,400
  Entries: 96  
  

               Nick Schulman

Updates:





 
(Event 24) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Andy 'BKiCe' Seth 1,250,000
2.Glenn McCaffrey 900,000
3.Brian Fitzpatrick 870,000
4.Benny Champlin 750,000
5.Chris Roulier 740,000
6.Roberto Truijers 625,000
7.Michael Greco 600,000
8Ron.nie Kevin 580,000
9.David Lerman 526,000
10.Dean Hamrick 510,000
  

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,420,690
  Entries: 2,506  

  

(Event 25) Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Jon Turner 465,000
2.Carlos Mortensen 328,000
3.Blair Rodman 290,000
4.Dutch Boyd 236,000
5.Steve Wong 226,000
6.Frank Debus 218,000
7.Eric Buchman 213,000
8.Matt Kelly 184,000
9.Phil Ivey 161,000
10.Peter Gelencser 156,000


Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 376  


(Event 26) Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Jan Von Halle 68,300
2.Dominik Kulicki 61,100
3.Bill Chen 60,600
4.Matt Keikoan 48,300
5.Josh Levine 47,800
6.Rep Porter 44,900
7.Justin Bonomo 44,800
8.Corey Bromberg 43,700
9.Noah Boeken 42,400
10.Richard Brodie 41,500

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $877,695
  Entries: 643  
   
Fri, Jun 12th 3-Day Event Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (Event 27) 
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.J.D. Newitt 185,900
2.Sergio Ramirez III 134,200
3Roland De Wolfe 130,800
4.Amnon Filippi 128,100
5.Benjamin Tang 123,800
6.Richard Ashby 122,300
7.Anthony Lellouche 100,100
8.Andrew Black 97,000
9.Stewart Yancik 95,300
10.Armando Ruiz II 92,600

Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $470,000
  Entries: 198

W S O P Day 18
2 Events Start Today :
Fri, Jun 12th 3-Day Event Limit Hold’em (Event 26) 
  $1,500  
Fri, Jun 12th 3-Day Event Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (Event 27) 
  $5,000  


Final Results: 


(Event 20) Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
1.John-Paul Kelly$194,434
 2.Marc Tschirch$120,102
 3.Jason Dewitt$78,826
 4.Kyle Carlston$54,711
 5.Aaron Virchis$40,048
 6.Tony Steward$30,837
 7.Erik Seidel$24,919
 8.Andrew Radel$21,082
 9.Ravi Raghavan$18,637
 10.Philip Collins$13,332

 
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $864,045
  Entries: 633  




(Event 19)No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
1.John Brock Parker$552,745
 2.Joseph Serock$341,783
 3.Russell Crane$220,633
 4.Jesse Rios$148,661
 5.Alexander Wilson$104,323
 6.Clayton Newman$76,123
 7.James Sudworth$54,777
 8.Brian Meinders$54,777
 9.Jay Kinkade$39,376
 10.Alex Ivarsson$39,376
 
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $2,456,400
  Entries: 1,068  


(Event 21)H.O.R.S.E. 3-Day Event 3-Day Event
1.Zachary Fellows$311,899
 2.James Van Alstyne$192,866
 3.Timothy Finne$126,199
 4.Michele Limongi$87,264
 5.Christopher Amaral$63,536
 6.Martin Eikeng$48,590
 7.Gabriel Nassif$38,947
 8.Matthew Hawrilenko$32,647
 9.Stewart Yancik$23,777
 10.Gavin Smith$23,777

  Buy-in: $3,000
  Prizepool: $1,247,520
  Entries: 452  


Zachary Fellows

Updates:



(Event 22) No-Limit Hold'em Shootout 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Jeffrey Carris 650,000
2.Jason Somerville 635,000
3.Joseph Cutler 570,000
4.Andrew Margolis 520,000
5.Eugene Katchalov 460,000
6.Michael Mcneil 410,000
7.Brandon Wong 370,000
8.Christopher Moore 330,000
9.Mike Shannon 320,000
10.Joshua Tieman 225,000
 
   

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,365,000
  Entries: 1,000  



(Event 23) World Championship 2-7 Draw Lowball (No-Limit) 3-Day Event
 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Vince Musso 799,000
Ville Wahlbeck 740,000
Archie Karas 384,000
Nick Schulman 295,000
David Benyamine 265,000
John Juanda 248,000
Steve Sung 155,000
Michael Binger 59,000
Roland de Wolfe 0
Justin 'BoostedJ' Smith 0

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $902,400
  Entries: 96  

 
(Event 24) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Peter Panayote Vilandos 236,000
2.Glenn McCaffrey 187,800
3.Cory 'UGOTPZD' Carroll 156,000
4.Dean Hamrick 134,700
5.Mike Linn 125,800
6.Jack Powell 116,900
7.Anthony Yeh 111,400
8.Karl Mahrenholz 97,200
9.Chris Sparks 95,000
10.Victor Shuchleis 93,400

  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,420,690
  Entries: 2,506  
  

(Event 25) Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Ming Lee 57,300
2.Can Hua 52,000
3.Dustin Sitar 46,600
4.Mark Scott 45,800
5.Allie Prescott44,900
6.Phil Ivey 44,000
7.Jan Sorensen 42,300
8.Stuart Spivack 39,800
9.Kevin Iacofano 37,300
10.Shirley Rosario 36,200 

Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: 376  

So you want to make the final table at the World Series of Poker. Here are a few pointers that should help you make progress. Watch this and make the right plays at your next session.

W S O P Day 17

2 Events Start Today :
Thu, Jun 11th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 24) 
  $1,500

Thu, Jun 11th 3-Day Event Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better (Event 25) 
  $2,500

Final Results: 

(Event 16) Seven Card Stud 3-Day Event

 1.Jeffrey Lisandro$124,975
2.Rodney Pardey$77,229
3.Steve Stencil$50,625
 4.Nickolas (Little Nicky) Frangos$35,086
5.John Juanda$25,633
 6.Eric Pardey$19,689
 7.Daniel Studer$15,862
8.Mitch Schock$13,373
 9.Thor Hansen$9,359
 10.Gerald Rechnitzer$9,359

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $490,035
  Entries: 359  


(Event 19)No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
1.John Brock Parker$552,745
 2.Joseph Serock$341,783
 3.Russell Crane$220,633
 4.Jesse Rios$148,661
 5.Alexander Wilson$104,323
 6.Clayton Newman$76,123
 7.James Sudworth$54,777
 8.Brian Meinders$54,777
 9.Jay Kinkade$39,376
 10.Alex Ivarsson$39,376
 
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $2,456,400
  Entries: 1,068

/files/3254813/uploaded/brock-parker-double-bracelet-winner_2.JPG

Updates:


(Event 20) Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.John-Paul Kelly 525,000
2.Jason Dewitt 525,000
3.Tony Steward 380,000
4.Eric Seidel 342,000
5.Andrew Radel 310,000
6.Kyle Carlston 300,000
7.Aaron Virchis 170,000
8.Marc Tschirch 145,000
9.Ravi Raghavan 100,000

 
  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $864,045
  Entries: 633  

 (Event 21)H.O.R.S.E. 3-Day Event 3-Day Event

Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Zac Fellows 600,000
2.Tim Finne 525,000
3.Michele Limongi 430,000
4.Stewart Yancik 380,000
5.Chris Amaral 370,000
6.James Van Alstyne 350,000
7.Matt Hawrilenko 350,000
8.Martin Eikeng 310,000
9.Gavin Smith 260,000
10.Edward Nassif 238,000


Buy-in: $3,000
  Prizepool: $1,247,520
  Entries: 452  

Wed, Jun 10th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold'em Shootout (Event 22) 
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count


 Lupi Massimiliano 119,000
Thomas Braband 85,000
Antoine Amourette 77,000
Jeffrey Carris 62,000
Allen Smurfit 45,000
Tam Hang 45,000
Erika Trenck 45,000
Matthew Berkey 45,000
Daniel Hirleman 45,000
Jose Velador 45,000
Bowen Fric 45,000
Nicholas Binger 45,000
Kyle Brossia 45,000
Jody Garaventa 45,000


Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,365,000
  Entries: 1,000  

   
Wed, Jun 10th 3-Day Event World Championship 2-7 Draw Lowball (No-Limit) (Event 23) 
 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Roland de Wolfe 200,000
2.Vince Musso 118,000
3.John Juanda 111,800
4.Tim Phan 98,500
5.Mickey Appleman 92,000
6.Anton Allemann 90,000
7.Justin 'BoostedJ' Smith 83,500
8.Daniel Harmetz 83,000
9.Mike Matusow 81,000
10Jean-Robert Bellande 75,000

 Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $902,400
  Entries: 96  
 

                       Brian Lemke

(Event 17) Ladies No-Limit Hold’em World Championship 3-Day Event  
1.Lisa Hamilton$195,390
2.Lori Bender$120,575
 3.Mari Lou Morelli$78,132
 4.Angel Pedroza$53,940
 5.Kimberly Cunningham$38,719
 6.Kimberly Rios$29,121
 7.Lisa Parsons$22,880
 8.Dawn Thomas$18,742
 9.Lisa Santy$15,973
 10.Donna Houle$13,716

Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $964,600
  Entries: 1,060  

(Event 18) World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better 3-Day Event
1.Daniel Alaei$445,898
2.Scott Clements$275,946
 3.Ben Boyd$182,730
 4.Daniel Negreanu$130,401
 5.John Monnette$97,422
 6.Greg Jamison$77,736
 7.Thomas Koral$65,453
 8.Annie Duke$58,049
9.Yueqi (Rich) Zhu$54,179
 10.Cam McKinley$39,709
  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,682,600
  Entries: 179

Updates:

(Event 19)No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Joseph Serock 3,396,000
2.Brock Parker 1,477,000
3.Alexander Wilson 1,305,000
4.Jesse Rios 1,095,000
5.Russell Crane 472,000
6.Clayton Newman 266,000
7.James Sudworth 0
8.Jay Kinkade 0
9.Brian Meinders 0
10.Alex Ivarsson 0

 Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $2,456,400
  Entries: 1,068  


  Prizepool: $3,078,500
  Entries: 655  

  
(Event 20) Pot-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Jason Dewitt 184,700
2.Jeremiah Vinsant 107,600
3.Nick Stowell 106,000
4.Blake Stepp 98,000
5.Kyle Carlston 92,400
6.Matt Honig 89,700 
7. Shawn Van Asdale 86,000
8.Mark Seif 83,000
9.David Chicotsky 82,400
10.Andreas Vandevenne 81,700
   
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $864,045
  Entries: 633  

 (Event 21)H.O.R.S.E. 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count

1.Frank Debus 62,100
2.Markus Golser 52,500
3.Scott Lake 51,600
4.Phillip Penn 50,600
5. Andre Akkari 50,200
6.David Singer 48,700
7.Michael Keiner 46,500
8.Chris Amaral 45,300
9.Dave Phillips 43,400
10.Justin Young 42,900
 
  Buy-in: $3,000
  Prizepool: $1,247,520
  Entries: 452  

W S O P Day 14
1 Event Starts Today :
Mon, Jun 8th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (Event 19) 
  $2,500

Final Results: 
(Event 11) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Anthony Harb$569,254
2.Peter Rho$350,019
3.Jim Geary$230,670
4.Adam Adler$161,768
 5.John McGowan$116,833
 6.Adrian Dresel-velasquez$92,867
 7.Scott Hal$76,390
 8.Michael Dyer$65,905
9.Brent Sheirbon$59,315
 10.Mike Carlson$41,640
  Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $2,995,720
  Entries: 1,646  

(Event 12) World Championship Mixed Event 3-Day Event
1.Ville Wahlbeck$492,375
 2.David Chiu$304,176
 3.Scott Dorin$199,940
 4.Mark Gregorich$139,159
 5.Huck Seed$102,286
6.James Van Alstyne$79,181
 7.Mike Wattel$64,373
 8.Todd Brunson$54,854
 9.Allie Prescott$42,818
 10.Roman Yitzhaki$42,818
 Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,823,600
  Entries: 194  

(Event 13) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
No prize amounts available at this time.
1.Keven Stammen 
2.Angel Guillen 
 3.Shawn Glines 
 4.Bahador Ahmadi 
 5.Torrey Reily 
 6.Antoine Berube 
7.Oktay Altinbas 
 8.Matthew Lynn 
 9.Gregg Merkow 
 10.Garrett Beckman 
 
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $2,502,400
Entries: 1,088  

(Event 14) Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
No prize amounts available at this time.

1.Brock Parker

2.Daniel Negreanu 
 3.Tommi Horkko 
 4.Kevin Hong 
 5.Barry Shulman 
 6.Kyle Ray 
 7.Jim Buckley 
 8.Shawn Buchanan 
 9.Nikolay Losev 
 10.Robert Como 
 

  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $844,100
  Entries: 367  

              Brock Parker

Updates:



(Event 15) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Isaac Baron 1,001,000
2.David Pham 880,000
3.Danny Illingworth 850,000
4.Billy Kopp 693,000
5.Fabian Quoss 640,000
6.Liya Gerasimova 530,000
7.Lars Bonding 530,000
8.Olivier Busquet 524,000
9.Mike Sowers 480,000
10.Brian Lemke 460,000

  Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $3,078,500
  Entries: 655  


(Event 16) Seven Card Stud 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
1.Jeff Lisandro 334,000
2.Steven Stencil 323,000
3.John Juanda 287,000
4.Rodney Pardey 245,000
5.Eric Pardey 217,000
6.Nick Frangos 84,000
7.Mitch Schock 83,000
8.Daniel Studer 43,000
9.Thor Hansen 0
10.Gerard Rechnitzer 0
  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $490,035
  Entries: 359  

(Event 17) Ladies No-Limit Hold’em World Championship 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count  
1.Tamara Tibbles 129,700
2.Svetlana Gromenkova 62,800
3.Patti Zarosky 51,000
4.Thuy Beltran 49,000
5.Lisa Parsons 46,300
6.Lauren Kling 44,200
7.Anh Le 40,000
8.Melissa Verrett 39,000
9.JJ Liu 38,300
10.Brett Abarbanel 35,500
   
Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: tbd
  Entries: tbd  

Sun, Jun 7th 3-Day Event World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 18)

Here Are Top 10 Chip Count 
1.Chris Bjorin 134,400
2.Scott Clements 130,800
3.Tom Koral 99,700
4.Phil Ivey 88,000
5.Sammy Farha 76,000
6.Alex Kostritsyn 74,000
7.Phil Hellmuth 70,000
8.Richard Ashby 65,000
9.John Hennigan 63,000
10.Jason Gray 60,000
 
  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,682,600
  Entries: 179  

 
 
 

 
 

Poker Tee Shirt Texas Poker Revolution

W S O P Day 13
2 Events Start Today :
Sun, Jun 7th 3-Day Event Ladies No-Limit Hold’em World Championship (Event 17) 
  $1,000  
Sun, Jun 7th 3-Day Event World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 18) 
  $10,000  
 Final Results: 
(Event 11) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
No Prize Amounts Of This Time
1.Anthony Harb 9,865,000
2.Peter Rho 0
3.Jim Geary 0
4.Adam Adler 0
5.Jonathan McGowan 0
6.Adrian Dresel-Velasquez 0
7.Scott Hall 0
8.Michael Dyer 0
9.Brent Sheirbon 0
10.Mike Carlson 0

  Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $2,995,720
  Entries: 1,646  

(Event 12) World Championship Mixed Event 3-Day Event
No Prize Amounts Of This Time
1.Ville Wahlbeck 6,000,000
2.David Chiu 0
3.Scott 'dorinvandy' Dorin 0 
 4.Mark Gregorich 0
5.Huck Seed 0
6.Todd Brunson 0
7.Mike Wattel 0
8.James Van Alstyne 0
9.Allie Prescott 0
10.Roman Yitzhaki 0

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,823,600
  Entries: 194  

                        Ville Wahlbeck

Updates:

(Event 13) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 Gregg Merkow 932,000
Angel Guillen 860,000
Bahador Ahmadi 800,000
Keven Stammen 729,000
Jeff Tunkel 694,000
Philip Sousa 470,000
Brett Switzer 456,000
Shawn Glines 420,000
Roland de Wolfe 400,000
Kirill Gerasimov 390,000

  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $2,502,400
  Entries: 1,088  

(Event 14) Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Tommi Horkko 500,000
Daniel Negreanu 470,000
Barry Shulman 351,000
Brock Parker 335,000
Kevin Hong 290,000
Nikolay Losev 216,000
Kyle Ray 200,000
Robert Como 136,000
Shawn Buchanan 118,000
Jimmy Tran 74,000

  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $844,100
  Entries: 367  


No-Limit Hold’em (Event 15)
Information is not available at this time.
  Buy-in: $5,000
  Prizepool: $3,078,500
  Entries: 655  


Seven Card Stud (Event 16)
Information is not available at this time.
  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $490,035
  Entries: 359  

 
 
 

 
 


 
 
 

W S O P Day 12
2 Events Start Today :
Sat, Jun 6th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 15) 
  $5,000

Sat, Jun 6th 3-Day Event Seven Card Stud (Event 16) 
  $1,500

 Final Results: 
(Event 5) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
1.Jason Mercier$237,462
2.Steven Burkholder$146,748
3.Kevin Iacofano$96,128
 4.Matt Giannetti$66,544
 5.Chris Biondino$48,533
 6.Jonathan Tare$37,192
 7.Dario (Ryu) Alioto$29,881
 8.An Tran$25,122
 9.Vic Park$22,052
 10.Alex Michaels$15,592
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $11,042,085
  Entries: 809  
(Event 6)World Championship Seven Card Stud 3-Day Event  
1.Freddie Ellis$373,751
 2.Eric Drache$231,013
 3.Ville Wahlbeck$152,914
 4.Max Pescatori$107,958
 5.Hasan Habib$80,968
6.Ivan Schertzer$64,297
7.Greg (FBT) Mueller$53,885
8.Tim Phan$47,532
 9.Jeffrey Lisandro$36,266
 10.Daniel Negreanu$36,266
  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,134,800
  Entries: 142  

(Event 7) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
1.Travis Johnson$666,853
 2.Steve Karp$414,116
3.Michael Ciotola$273,385
 4.Mark Salinaro$193,343
 5.Craig McConville$145,721
 6.Brian McInnis$116,234
 7.Walter Wright$97,985
 8.Jim McClain$87,013
 9.Kam Low$81,185
 10.Jacob Kalb$56,955
  Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,809,715
  Entries: 2,791  


(Event 8) Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) 3-Day Event
1.Phil Ivey$96,367
 2.John Monnette$59,586
 3.Yan Chen$38,891
 4.Eric Kesselman$26,757
 5.Rodeen Talebi$19,346
 6.Raphael Zimmerman$14,663
 7.Elia Ahmadian$11,627
 8.Layne Flack$8,452
 9.Tony (Tony G) Guoga$6,292
 10.Xavier Laszcz$6,292
   
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $338,100
  Entries: 147  

(Event 9) No-Limit Hold’em / Six Handed 3-Day Event
 1.Ken Aldridge$428,259
 2.Carman Cavella$264,814
 3.Peter Gould$170,953
4.Bryce Yockey$115,230
 5.Charles Furey$80,896
6.Manny Minaya$59,049
 7.Praz Bansi$42,320
 8.Bryn Kenney$42,320
 9.Robert Lipkin$30,311
10.Steve McNally$30,311
   
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,991,535
  Entries: 1,459  


(Event 10) Pot-Limit Holdem/Omaha 3-Day Event
1.Rami Boukai$244,862
2.Najib Bennani$151,335
3.Ben Grundy$99,574
4.Cornel Cimpan$69,546
 5.Daniel Makowsky$51,313
 6.Paul Parke$39,904
 7.Pawel Andrzejewski$32,653
 8.John Kabbaj$28,006
 9.Sigi Stockinger$25,151
 10.Gary Do$18,170
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,041,900
  Entries: 453  

Updates:

(Event 11) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
  Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Chris Taylor 880,000
Mike Carlson 790,000
Adam Adler 650,000
Scott Hall 620,000
Brent Sheirbon 560,000
Peter Rho 510,000
Warren Woodall 475,000
Adrian Dresel-Velasquez 430,000
Eric Ladny 400,000
Jose Rosenkrantz 380,000


  Buy-in: $2,000
  Prizepool: $2,995,720
  Entries: 1,646  


(Event 12) World Championship Mixed Event 3-Day Event
  Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Huck Seed 645,500
Joe Serock 584,500
Adam Friedman 525,000
Roman Yitzhaki 375,000
Todd Brunson 374,500
Allie Prescott 357,000
Ville Wahlbeck 339,000
James Van Alstyne 336,000
Doyle Brunson 335,000
Soheil Shamseddin 290,000

  Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,823,600
  Entries: 194  

(Event 13) No-Limit Hold’em 3-Day Event
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $2,502,400
  Entries: 1,088  
Information is not available at this time.

Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (Event 14)
  Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $844,100
  Entries: 367  

Information is not available at this time.

 
 
 

 

 This suggestion on how you and help poker reform in Texas, will require a little action. Though it may be new to some of you who play online. Find a live game in your area and start to play. You may find games in your area in several ways. Craig's list is a good avenue, in the community section, look under activities partners or general. http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/tx 
You may also find games on Meetup.com, join the group and go to the game http://poker.meetup.com/cities/us/tx/
Talk to people about poker. Your friends at work. Friends at the bar. Friends and church. If you don't talk about poker you'll never find a real live game. And you'll miss out on one of the most enjoyable pastimes. By talking to people, you'll probably soon find a game in your area. Asked to be part of it. Offered to host a game. If you hear of a game at your local lodge. Find out how you can join the lodge. Good things in life, hardly ever just fall in our laps. We have to get out and "Do."
Playing online is a great way to get hands in. I play on-line from time to time. But for me there is no substitute for face-to-face live-action. There's a social aspect. You make new friends. Real friends. People you can get to know. Go out to breakfast with. There's the game improvement aspect hope, on-line player have a good grasp of the basics of the game. What they lack is subtle nuances. It's very difficult to pickup tells online. No mannerisms to read. Anyone who plays poker gains knowledge every time they play. I personally don't learn as much about poker online as I do in live play. So get off the computer, it's a beautiful day to get out and play some poker. 

W S O P Day 10

2 Events Start Today :
Thu, Jun 4th 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em (Event 11) 
  $2,000  
Thu, Jun 4th
3-Day Event World Championship Mixed Event (Event 12) 
  $10,000
 

 Final Results: 

(Event 4)No-Limit Hold'em 4-Day Event  
1.Steve Sung 
2.Panayote Vilandos 
3.James Matz III 
4.Larry Sidebotham 
5.Nathan Mullen 
6.Dan Heimiller 
7. Jeff Oakes 
8.Phong Huynh 
 9.Danny Fuhs 
 
  Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $5,410,800
  Entries: 6,012  

Steve Sung

Updates:



(Event 5) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Kevin Iacofano 770,000
Jonathan Tare 665,000
 An Tran 420,000
 Jason Mercier 384,400
Victa Park 341,000
Matt Giannetti 311,000
 Steven Burkholder 295,000
 Dario Alioto 276,000
Chris Biondino 182,000
 
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $11,042,085
  Entries: 809



 

(Event 6)World Championship Seven Card Stud 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Freddie Ellis 2,150,000
Eric Drache 2,150,000
Ville Wahlbeck 
 Max Pescatori 
 Hasan Habib 
 Ivan Schertzer 
Greg 'FBT' Mueller 
Tim Phan 
Jeff Lisandro 
 Daniel Negreanu 
 Ray Dehkharghani 
 
 Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,134,800
  Entries: 142

(Event 7) No-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event  
  Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Layne Flack 75,125
Raphael Zimmerman 60,750
Yan Chen 48,500
Phil Ivey 46,700
David Grey 46,025
Rodeen Talebi 45,000
Phil Hellmuth 41,150
Mike Matusow 40,975
John Monnette 39,650
Antanas 'Tony G' Guoga 39,250
Erick Lindgren 38,225 

 Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,809,715
  Entries: 2,791  

(Event 8)Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) 3-Day Event  
  Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 John Monnette 259,000
Raphael Zimmerman 238,000
 Yan Chen 159,000
 Elia Ahmadian 136,900
 Eric Kesselman 119,400
 Phil Ivey 106,300
 Rodeen Talebi 94,500
 Layne Flack 0
 Antanas 'Tony G' Guoga 0
 Xavier Laszcz 0
 
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $338,100
  Entries: 147  

(Event 9) 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed 
  No Information Is Not Available At This Time.
 Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,991,535
  Entries: 1,459  

 
 
 (Event 10) 
3-Day Event Pot-Limit Holdem/Omaha 
  No Information Is Not Available At This Time.
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $1,041,900
  Entries: 455

HB 222 is not the only business the Texas House of Representatives didn't have time for this year. They seem to be bogged down with attaching the voter I.D. bill to any legislation that has an opportunity to pass. Texas House of Representatives is not the podium for political agenda.Texas House Reps. can't make time for much-needed legislation in the regular session and Governor Perry may order a special session. Poker and politics make strange bedfellows. I bring this up because of an editorial the was in today's Dallas Morning News section 14 A. By Jack E. Pratt, Texas Gambling Association President. To get anything done here in Texas poker players must be unified. We must support as a group, both financially and through action in the legislation that has a chance to be passed.  

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/stories/DN-meltdown_03tex.ART.State.Edition1.50f75f2.html

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/stories/DN-winnerslosers_02tex.ART.State.Edition2.50b3fc4.html

W S O P Day 9

2 Events Start Today :

Wed, Jun 3rd 3-Day Event No-Limit Hold’em / Six Handed (Event 9) 
  Buy-in: $1,500

Wed, Jun 3rd 3-Day Event Pot-Limit Holdem/Omaha (Event 10) 
  Buy-in: $2,500
 No Final Results: Yet

Updates:


(Event 4)No-Limit Hold'em 4-Day Event  
 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Dan Heimiller 4,155,000
Steve Sung 3,395,000
Panayote Vilandos 1,940,000
James Matz III 1,885,000
Jeff Oakes 1,680,000
Larry Sidebotham 1,500,000
Phong Huynh 1,310,000
Nathan Mullen 1,210,000
Danny Fuhs 965,000

Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $5,410,800
  Entries: 6,012  

(Event 5) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Kevin Iacofano 770,000
Jonathan Tare 665,000
 An Tran 420,000
 Jason Mercier 384,400
Victa Park 341,000
Matt Giannetti 311,000
 Steven Burkholder 295,000
 Dario Alioto 276,000
Chris Biondino 182,000
 
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $11,042,085
  Entries: 809

Jason Mercier

(Event 6)World Championship Seven Card Stud 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Freddie Ellis 1,220,000
Eric Drache 830,000
Ville Wahlbeck 670,000
Hasan Habib 505,000
 Max Pescatori 410,000
 Tim Phan 295,000
Greg 'FBT' Mueller 185,000
Ivan Schertzer 130,000
Jeff Lisandro 0
Daniel Negreanu 0
Ray Dehkharghani 0
 
Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,134,800
  Entries: 142

(Event 7) No-Limit Hold'em 3-Day Event  
  Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 Victor Greeley 275,000
 Jerry Fowler 183,200
 Gary Tang 145,300
Hyun Jung 129,700
Jacobo Fernandez 123,000
James Passavant 112,500
Enio Bozzano 105,900
Paul Dominski 102,300
Christian Choi 101,700
John Michael 100,500

 Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $3,809,715
  Entries: 2,791  

(Event 8)Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) 3-Day Event  
  Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Layne Flack 75,125
Raphael Zimmerman 60,750
Yan Chen 48,500
Phil Ivey 46,700
David Grey 46,025
Rodeen Talebi 45,000
Phil Hellmuth 41,150
Mike Matusow 40,975
John Monnette 39,650
Antanas 'Tony G' Guoga 39,250
Erick Lindgren 38,225 
 
Buy-in: $2,500
  Prizepool: $338,100
  Entries: 147  

When you think of Texas poker. Few players have impacted the sport with a magnitude of Thomas Austin Preston, Jr., a.k.a. "Amarillo Slim," you can no little else about poker and still know the name"Amarillo Slim," He has built a reputation with his poker play and his personal life. As with many sports legends, he has had a rocky personal life. Respected by his peers for decades, he has in recent years, drawn much negative press. Unlike some sports legends, who fall from their pedestals. Amarillo-slim has always had a less then sparkling reputation. He embodies an image that most folks have for poker players in general. Good or bad everyone has reputation. As someone once said "any press is a good press, just hope they spell your name right in the newspaper. " As with players of any sport we can to be lumped together.Though poker has grown in popularity and has made great strides in mainstream acceptance. We may find it difficult to shake off these negative stereotypes.

<http://pokerroad.com/blog/daniel-negreanu/posts/amarillo-slim>
<http://www.pokerlistings.com/a-legend-lost-amarillo-slim-breaks-his-silence-pt-1-38457>
<http://www.homepokergames.com/slim.php>
<http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/interviews/amarilloslim-part1.htm>

W S O P Day 8

2 Events Start Today :

Tue, Jun 2nd                 3-Day Event                 No-Limit Hold'em (Event 7) 
  Buy-in $1,500  
Tue, Jun 2nd               3-Day Event                   Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) (Event 8) 
  Buy-in $2,500  

Final Results:

Champions Invitational invite only  
1.Tom McEvoy 
2.Robert Varkonyi 
3.Dan Harrington 
4. Jim Bechtel 
5.Carlos Mortensen 
6.Huck Seed 
7. Berry Johnston 
8.Doyle Brunson 
9.Peter Eastgate 
10. Phil Hellmuth 
 
  Buy-in: $0
  Prizepool: $1,970
  Entries: 20  

http://news.bluffmagazine.com/wsop-tom-mcevoy-outlasts-champions-invitational-final-table-3999/

Updates:


(Event 4)No-Limit Hold'em 4-Day Event  
 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
 Danny Fuhs 1,112,000
 Eric Chhor 910,000
Steve Ma 790,000
Amanda Baker 655,000
Jack Powell 580,000
Jamie Armstrong 540,000
Greg Buonocore 460,000
Justin Rollo 390,000
Steve Sung 335,000
Adam White 320,000
Chandrasekhar Billavara 280,000
   
Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $5,410,800
  Entries: 6,012  

 (Event 5) Pot-Limit Omaha 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
Jason Mercier 227,300
Matt Humphrey 162,200
Jae Chang 133,000
Matthew Greenwood 112,800
Alex Michaels 110,700
Jonathon Tare 102,800
Eric Froehlich 100,400
Jose Tavares 100,100
Matt Giannetti 97,700
Dario Alioto 97,000
 
Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $11,042,085
  Entries: 809

(Event 6)World Championship Seven Card Stud 3-Day Event  
Here Are Top 10 Chip Count
David Oppenheim 97,000
Ben Lin 96,500
John Cernuto 91,600
Nick Frangos 90,600
Barry Mullinax 90,000
Daniel Robison 84,300
Toto Leonidas 84,100
Matt Glantz 78,300
Steve Zolotow 73,500
Frank Kassela 73,500

Buy-in: $10,000
  Prizepool: $1,134,800

W S O P Day  7

2 Events Start Today :

Mon, Jun 1st 3-Day Event (Event 5) Pot-Limit Omaha 
  Buy-in: $1,500

Mon, Jun 1st 3-Day Event (Event 6) World Championship Seven Card Stud
  Buy-in: $10,000

 

Final Results:

Here are final results and prize paid out (Event 2)4-Day Event 40th Annual No-Limit Holdem 


1.Vitaly Lunkin $1,891,012
 
2.Isaac Haxton $1,168,566
 
3.Greg (Fossil-Man) Raymer $774,927
 
4.Dani Stern $548,315
 
5.Justin Bonomo $413,166
 
6.Alec Torelli $329,730
 
7.Alex Veldhuis $277,940
 
8.Noah Schwartz $246,834
 
9.Ted Forrest $230,317
 
10.Tony (Tony G) Guoga

 


http://www.pokerlistings.com/live-tournaments/wsop/2009/event2/live-updates

(Event 3) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

 1.Thang Luu $263,190
 
2.Ed Smith $162,109
 
3.Ming Reslock $106,373
 
4.Robert Price $73,404
 
5.Pascal Leyo $53,293
 
6.Jordan Rich $40,611
 
7.Jim Geary $32,404
 
8.Freddy Deeb $27,028
 
9.Senovio III Ramirez $23,520
 
10.Sebastian Ruthenberg $16,828

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,253,070
  Entries: 918

http://news.bluffmagazine.com/wsop-thang-luu-wins-another-bracelet-in-historic-event-3-3836/

 
Updates:

 Here Are Top 10 Chip Count

(Event 4) No-Limit Hold'emNo Rebuy/Add-ons
 
 Jeremiah DeGreef 132,200
 Jonathan Tamayo 107,500
Jonathan Aguiar 93,500
David Jones 90,700
Tommie Janssen 80,200
 Justin Allen 78,500
Will Failla 76,100
 Eduardo Santi 73,000
Grayson Ramage 72,900
 Darryll Fish 71,100

Buy-in: $1,000
  Prizepool: $5,410,800
  Entries: 6,012  


Champions Invitational invite only  

Carlos Mortensen 42,375
 Tom McEvoy 31,000
Jim Bechtel 30,475
Doyle Brunson 20,250
 Dan Harrington 19,975
 Peter Eastgate 18,425
Huck Seed 15,400
Robert Varkonyi 13,450
Berry Johnston 7,625
Phil Hellmuth 1,125

Our Featured Product Of The Week :
Texas Poker Revolution Coffee Mug

Texans aren't the only ones, with a bill that stalled in their house representatives. South Carolina's representatives seem to have the same mindset as to Texas reps. In February a South Carolina judge found that even though poker is a game of skill the five defendants arrested in 2006 for playing poker in a private residence were still guilty. The laws in South Carolina are more strict than here in Texas at this time. This will come up again next year in 2010 for them. For us Texans, we'll have to wait for 2011. Will we be ready. Do we have a plan. Not only will we be reporting news. We will outline a plan of action. Our first step is involvement. A base group that we can build on. Feel free to get involved. E-mail us @ tpr.man_ed@yahoo.com Post on our forum. Post responses to our articles. If you're not playing face-to-face, real live poker you're missing out on an aspect of the game you don't want to miss. You use our forum as a platform to start home games and card rooms in your areas We will assist you in getting started. Contact us. 
South Carolina Poker Bills
 SB 560, which would allow charity events and fundraisers for non-profit organizations, religious groups, or fraternal organizations to use casino-type games like poker.
SB 535, which would legalize poker games in private residences as long as no house odds or bank are being used.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/05/27/met_525394.shtml

Related News:
http://news.bluffmagazine.com/south-carolina-poker-bills-in-holding-pattern-until-2010-3696/
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/pennsylvania-judge-rules-poker-is-a-game-of-skill-941/
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/news/world-of-poker/South-Carolina-Poker-Bill-Passes-Senate_19897

One event today.

Sun, May 31st       2-Day         Event Champions Invitational

Updates:

Here are final table and chip counts  (Event 2)4-Day Event 40th Annual No-Limit Holdem

Greg Raymer - 3,345,000
Alec Torelli - 2,340,000
Isaac Haxton - 5,955,000
Justin Bonomo - 1,685,000
Dani Stern - 1,300,000
Lex Veldhuis - 3,805,000
Noah Schwartz - 660,000
Ted Forrest - 560,000
Vitaly Lunkin - 4,565,000

 Buy-in: $40,000
  Prizepool: $7,718,400
  Entries: 201  
 

http://www.pokerlistings.com/haxton-chipleader-at-wsops-40k-final-table-41621

Here are top 10 chip count(Event 3) Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

 Robert Price 580,000
 Jordan Rich 465,000
 Thang Luu 420,000
Richard Toth 360,000
Ed Smith 320,000
Micah Brooks 300,000
Freddy Deeb 300,000
 Lee Mougous 250,000
 Sebastian Ruthenberg 250,000
 Senovio Ramirez 240,000

Buy-in: $1,500
  Prizepool: $1,253,070
  Entries: 918

http://news.bluffmagazine.com/wsop-thang-luu-inching-closer-to-rare-bracelet-repeat-in-event-3-3732/

Doyle Brunson, what more needs to be said. When John Q. Public thinks about poker, the image that comes to their mind is of "Doyle." When you have 10 - 2 as your hole cards, who do you think of. Doyle is the face that most people would put on poker. And that's appropriate. He is the consummate elder statesman of poker.Not only his record of wins and cashes in W S O P and W P T events. His appearances on Poker after dark, High-stakes poker and TV commercials. These make him a celebrity. Doyle has risen to superstar status. Doyle has been instrumental in bringing poker out of dark back rooms and into the living room of American families.  His long been an advocate for Texas poker. In an interview he did several years ago he talked about poker as it once was. How friends and family would look down on you if you were professional poker player. He goes in detail about how wild and unpredictable poker use to be here in Texas. Robberies and Raids. For those of us who remain here, and choose to be poker players. These things aren't memories, they are an undercurrent. Something that is always there underneath the surface. We hear rumors and see news reports. And we pray it doesn't happen to us.  If your a professional poker player it would be part of doing business. For the rest of us who play for entertainment, because we love the game. It's a hazard, and unnecessary danger we are willing to put up with. Our other choices are to give up the game entirely or play less frequently. What better time than while the W S O P is going on. To remind folks what Doyle Brunson has done for the game. He's a legend and more than that a hero. Yes, a poker hero. I wear a ball cap and not a cowboy hat. My hat goes off to Doyle. 

 Doyle Brunson's- WSOP Player Standings
Name                Bracelets         WSOP *ITM         Total Earnings
Doyle Brunson       10                     31                $2,808,945

* In the money

 Doyle Brunson's-WPT Player Standings
Doyle Brunson  
Career Earnings              $2,010,872 
Cashes                                 6 
Final Tables                          3 
Titles                                   1

 Doyle Brunson's-Total Tournaments Played 36 
YEAR TOURNAMENT PRIZE MONEY
1976 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship $230,000
1977 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship $340,000
1977 5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw                           $80,250
1977 1,000 Seven-Card Stud Split                          $62,500
1978 5,000 Seven Card Stud                                 $68,000
1979 $600 Mixed Doubles (with Starla Brodie)         $4,500
1991 2,500 No Limit Hold'em                                $208,000
1998 1,500 Seven-Card Razz                                $93,000
2003 2,000 H.O.R.S.E.                                          $84,080
2005 5,000 No Limit Shorthanded Texas Hold'em    $367,800
2005 Event #14 - No Limit Hold'em WPT Event Hold'em $563,485
2006 WPT No Limit Championship H.O.R.S.E           $58,585
2006 WSOP No Limit H.O.R.S.E. Hold'em              $274,650
2006 Event # 45 - WSOP No Limit Hold'em H.O.R.S.E.  $3,372
2007 Event #26 - WSOP H.O.R.R.E. Omaha           $9,024
2007 Event #50 - WSOP Pot Limit Omaha Hold'em $123,967
2008 No Limit Championship NBC Mixed                $25,000
2008 Event # 8 WSOP Mixed Event H.O.R.S.E.        $16,243
2008 Event # 45 WSOP H.O.R.S.E. Championship H.O.R.S.E.$124,320

http://www.worldpokertour.com/Search/Players.aspx?q=Doyle+Brunson&p=2

One event today.

Sat, May 30th   4-Day Event      No-Limit Hold'em (Event 4)

This event was labeled the Stimulus Special because of this economical buy in of $1,000

6000 ( capped) entries sets new record for the event. Stimulus is second only to main event.

6,000

Update: (event 2)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=4214460

Update: (event 3 )

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/05/2009-wsop-1-500-omaha-hi-lo-event-3-day-1-luu-tops-record-fi-6627.htm

Only one event scheduled for today. 
Fri, May 29th               3-Day Event           Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 3)

 Buy-in: $1,500-Prizepool: $1,253,070-Entries: 91

 The results are in for (Event 1) Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em 
1.Andrew Cohen $83,833
2.Paul Peterson $51,787
3.Casey Kuhn $33,923
4.Grant Yasui $23,483
5.Dulay Elpidio $17,127
6.Robert Rooney $13,125

More results

http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/tourney/tournament-results.asp?tid=7226&grid=607

The 2009 World Series of first day.

Wed, May 27th     2-Day Event     Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em (Event 1)                                                                                                      

Had a 867 player field, a $500 buy in for a chance at the first bracelet of the Series. This year’s event generated a prize-pool of $389,700, top prize to receive $83,778. Top 81 places will get paid ($974 minimum), with a guaranteed $7,782 for players gracing final table.Results in tomorrow. 

Here are the past 9 winners Casino Employees Event: 
2000- Dave Alizadeh ($21,800)
2001- Travis Jonas ($40,200)
2002- David Warga ($47,300)
2003- David Lukaszewski ($35,800)
2004- Carl Nessel ($40,000)
2005- Andy Nguyen ($83,390)
2006- Chris Gros ($127,616)
2007- Frederick Narciso ($104,701)
2008- Jonathan Kotula ($87,929)

One event scheduled for today.

Thu, May 28th                   4-Day Event            40th Annual No-Limit Holdem (Event 2)

 Buy-in: $40,000 - Prizepool: $7,718,40--Entries: 201

The World Series Of Poker 3 week extravaganza began yesterday.Start Date: May 26, 2009 and End Date: July 15, 2009.Event #1 kicks off today. A $500 buy in tournament exclusively for casino employes.

Here's a link to that 2009 W S O P schedule.

http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/tourney/tourneydetails.asp?groupID=607

Below is a link to their commercial. I think you will like it.

 http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/wsoptv/index.asp?curPage=1&videocatid=0&videoid=782

For You W S O P fans, here's a link. Were you can vote on your favorite player to be inducted in the Hall of fame. Just tell them the name of the person you are nominating and give(up to) 250 words on why you think that person is deserving. Nominations can be submitted from May 26-July 2 and  the Top 10 nominations will be announced during the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. In November, during the final table of the Main Event, the two finalists will be inducted as the 2009 class of the Poker Hall of Fame.

http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame/halloffamevoting.asp

I know we have a lot of online players. I dabble from time to time. Some players fund their live play with on -line winnings. It's a great way to get hands in, when you don't have time to get out and play. Other folks make living through on-line play. Here's an article you online players should be interested in.

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/05/politics-and-poker-online-again-in-2010-6601.htm

 In case you missed it, it's been plastered all over the Internet. Here's the clip of Joan Rivers calling poker players " white trash." I don't think Joan Rivers is an unbiased source, nor does she represent a fair cross section of American society. But I do think it's damaging to poker as a whole and poker players, when we are all put into a box. I think Joan fails to realize when she categorizes us. If we are trash, we are not only white trash we are also yellow, black, brown and red trash.Also, I think she fails to realize that poker players cross all boundaries of financial status, class, sexual orientation, religion, occupation and race. But again, she represents the old white woman with multiple plastic surgerys demographic. Not a very high percentage of the populace.

There are some poker advocates that would say that the game keeps you young. Our senior players tell me that it keeps their mind sharp. Go to any poker room around the state and you'll see retirees engaged in raising, betting or folding. The banning of this commercial is an example of a society that takes itself far too seriously. I'm not saying that the poker play in this commercial is a reason it was banned. Here in Texas strip poker is OK, if played in a home setting and of course the stakes aren't monetary. 

Ah, fond memories. When I was a child, I could hardly wait for the Sunday paper to arrive. So I could pour through it. It's something I looked forward to it all week long. These days, when my wife asks what part of the paper I want, I tell her "sports and funnies. " Here's a comic from a few months ago, I thought readers would be interested in. It comes from an unlikely source.

The message I'm getting, is it's OK to play cards as long as no money is on the table.

What is the link between Star Trek and Texas Poker. Any time poker and poker players are portrayed in Movies, TV or the News. The general public takes away an impression away from the experience. The impression is ether good or bad. Apparently from the description in this article and these clips, Star Trek The Next Generation portrayal of poker was beneficial in several ways. Poker was an outlet for the crew, a way to vent frustration, avert monotony and relieve tension. Apparently this weekly poker game, was for the senior staff. Which nullifies Joan Rivers comments about all poker players being "trailer trash". The senior staff members also seemed to take away life lessons from poker play. These are all good things. When positive press and depiction start to sway the public's impression of poker and its players. We're headed in the right direction.  

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/05/poker-pop-culture-star-trek-the-next-generation-6576.htm

Those wacky Swedes. Sounds like they're on to something. Two gentleman are charged with sponsoring a poker tournament for 700 people. They go to trial and charges are reduced. We can learn much from our fair haired brothers. If relevant testimony and evidence are given in poker cases. Justice is served. The cause of poker reform is also served. Sometimes we need to take the highroad instead of the path of least resistance in order to get the necessary results. 


http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/6784-swedish-court-rules-poker-is-skill-game

Well they're fighting the good fight in South Carolina. Every inch we move toward legitimizing the game and moving away from" It's purely a game of chance" is a step forward. 
http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/6165-39-guilty-39-poker-players-39-ecstatic-39-with-verdict

The poker world is buzzing, we can only hope that the buzz. Starts of swarming effect that stings the representatives of the Texas House, into action next session.

http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/poker-bill-hb-222-removed-from-agenda-in-texas-2515/

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/6790-texas-poker-bill-dies-without-a-vote-in-the-house

About 1 1/2 years ago 2 lodges and a bar were raided on Friday night. I have personal experience with raids as I was in a lodge that was raided about 2 1/2 years ago. And on the Friday night in question, we were playing in close proximity to the bar that was raided. Here in my hometown, we've had multiple nights of raids. Usually on Friday night. Usually two to three in one night. Players get tickets. Management and dealers go to jail. The players that go to court, the cases get dismissed. The management and dealers, their cases are pleaded down or dismissed. Shortly after the Friday night raid Drew Carey did this video on Reason .TV.

http://reason.tv/

Most poker players, if the play the game for a while, learn to take table talk and bad beats with an unspoken sportsmanship. It's a shame when things get out of hand and it puts a tarnished on the game as a whole and and the people that play it. 

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/090517_poker_game_argument_leaves_one_dead

You have to give props, to Rep. Jose Menendez. First for having the courage to submit this poker legislation. Not once but three times. It's what we used to call "taking a whooping on principle." I'm not a big fan of legislative TV or videos. But as I watched last Friday hoping to catch the couple of minutes of light HB 222 saw in the chamber before the coffin lid closed once more,time of death 6:05 p.m.May 15th 2009. Something caught my attention and you have to watch for it. I guess there's not a lot of humor happening on the chamber floor. Most of the bills were discussed and debated with a sense of respect for the bill and for its author. These include among others. HB 662 Operation of a motor vehicle by a person under 18 years of age while using a wireless communications device and HB 836 Relating to hunting of feral hogs by helicopter.While shooting feral hogs from helicopters may not seem funny to those on the chamber floor the poker bill met with jokes and an out right flippant attitude. That angered me. Again praise for Rep. Jose Menendez for his intelligent response.

Below is a link to the full days session.

http://www.house.state.tx.us/media/chamber/81.htm

05/15/09 2:25 p.m.- 6:59 p.m.

But in grain this in your memory. Most of these representatives don't feel that poker room legislation deserves a fair hearing. They don't see a problem with our tax dollars going across state lines, especially in this depressed economy where cities and towns have budget deficits. If we ever want to make headway, we have to bring home to these representatives the benefits Texas poker reform would bring, financial and humanitarian. 
You Tube & Pokerati made your search easier by this clip. 

 I was eating at an Indian food restaurant in my neighborhood, and as I ate, I was watching the local news channel on their TV. And the thought came to me, I don't believe I've ever seen a sports story on the local news about poker. It struck me as strange. No matter where I go to play poker. Inevitably we're gonna be watching sports on TV. The type of sport depends on what time of year and what night of the week, sometimes we're watching two or three different games or sports at one time. Most poker players have an interest in sports. And from what I understand poker is one of the most popular. In the past five years poker motivated TV has grown from a seed to and oak tree. On any given night you can watch high-stakes cash games or multi million-dollar tournament on TV. Here is my point if a golfer from Texas wins the Masters the local news is all over it. Not so, if a local poker player wins a major tournament. For any major sport with as much TV exposure as poker is now enjoying, it seems like it would be a lock. Our local news stations do not cover poker events with the same intensity that they do other major sports. Now maybe they don't consider poker a major sport. Maybe they think it ranks with bowling, dart's, pool or volleyball. I'm not besmirching these sports, they have their following And we have ours. I think that perhaps local TV sports journalists, may need a little nudge into the 21st century, where poker is on TV 24/7/365 and a growing share of commercials have poker stars as spokesman or as prominent figures in their ads. Just a thought.

I like to think of myself, as a glass half full kind of guy. And also a realist. So let's concentrate. On what good has come about in the past two years. If we forget the past we're doomed to repeat. And insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Though it's true we didn't get much further than the last time. We made some new allies. We have changed the public's view on poker and poker players. If only a little. We've got a good foundation to bill. But before we start nailing the frame work, let's have an open dialogue. On what the basic things we want out of this legislation. On poker in general in the state of Texas. A vision let's say. A game plan for the future of poker in the state a Texas. 
We know from experience, what can happen if you begin a project without thinking it through, thoroughly. So let's say goodbye to HB 222 and start thinking of a brighter future.

We're not gonna be playing and poker at the racetracks any time soon. And more or less nothing else is gonna change as far as poker is concerned, any time soon. Representatives do what they do. And we do what we do.Poker bills have been morphed into something other than their original form in order to have any hope of passing the floor. The term " it's out of our hands" comes to mind. But was it ever in our hands. I personally don't think it ever was. And I'm just as guilty, as anyone else for not getting involved. But at least for me that's gonna change. Every poker player has to be an opportunist, you have to know when your opponent is weak, and capitalize on that weakness. But on the opposite end of the poll, you have to know when your opponent is strong and get out of the way. That's what we have to do now. But we can start preparing for the next go round and make sure we're prepared. In the next few months, hell right now! I'm and ask you to get involved. I'm in a keep asking you again involve. Your going to get tired of me asking you to get involved. Hopefully once you get involved, you'll bring others on board. As I said I'm an opportunist. It's not by chance, this Web site sprung up. I'm hoping that the anger the large number of poker players are feeling right now will be put to good use. And be the spark that fires us on to victory.

http://pokerati.com/2009/05/14/rip-hb-222/

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/05/texas-poker-bill-dies-for-2009-6566.htm 

In an effort, to pass on information that is useful as well as topical. I submit this tool. It may be very helpful to your game. 

http://www.pokernews.com/poker-odds-calculator.htm

The folks at http://www.pokernews.com have been gracious enough to allow us the use of their Poker Odds Calculator. " May the chips flow, as the current of a mighty river".

The trial of James McDaniel accused of causing the overdose death of Southern Methodist University student Meaghan Bosch has been postponed indefinitely. James McDaniel describes himself as a professional poker player. He apparently owned a poker room near SMU. 

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-smudrugs_21met.ART.State.Edition2.4a8a2cd.html

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/DN-regionalrdp_08met.ART.State.Edition1.4cbcc92.html

Having been a resident of this state most of my life, it is my considered opinion the laws of this state are generally 100 years behind the times...It's time to catch up with the 21st century and legalize gambling.

http://thisisthelaw.wordpress.com/tag/antiquated-laws/

http://thisisthelaw.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/bergen-county-blue-laws/

http://thisisthelaw.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/cat-bells-are-required-in-cresskill-nj/

http://thisisthelaw.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/sweet-home-alabama-is-where-it-is-illegal-to/

http://thisisthelaw.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/judge-orders-victim-to-pay/

I want to get on my soap box, and you're saying to yourself, "when aren't you", on my soap box that is. I want to talk a little bit about priorities. Now where I come from the school of thought is this. That one should have but one primary purpose, and that all other things should fall after that. Now what that primary purpose is for everyone is often different. For some it is pursuit of selfish things, for others it is a common good. Some claim that family should come first, while others say that serving God is the primary thing. Now I'm not going to debate what that primary thing should be for each individual. Each person through their own experience must find their own answer. And you're saying to yourself " he's getting awfully deep, is he still talking about poker". Now I know that for for me personally I can serve my community, my family, my friends and God.And do all those things effectivly and enjoy a poker game when money and time allow. I've been blessed with a little of both.   Now I'm not saying that some folks don't overdo the poker thing, they live and breathe it, talk about all the time. Try and get them on another subject and they avoid it like the plague. Poker is thier life. For those folks yes poker maybe a problem, but it's not their main problem. Their main problem is a lack of something else. If they were not playing poker, surely they would be involved in something more distructive and dangerous , to themselves and others.Now to my point, I'm talking now about the folks who have some perspective on life. They play poker as a pastime. It's not their primary thing. It somewhere down the list. I don't know how far down the list, but usually it follows God, family, friends, job, community, country, political party and religious affiliation. Now you can put these things in any order you would like, add or subtract. All that I'm saying is poker should not the first on a persons priority list. Now having said that, I'll say this. If poker is on your priority list. And you play,oh let's say, a couple of times a month, once a week, or every few nights a week. Then perhaps you should, put little effort  towards, letting others know what the game means to you. And if you love the game as I do. Maybe, that means you put a little more effort than that. But how much effort you put toward poker reform. That's for each person to decide. In the light of their own experience.

America has long been called the melting pot, in which the world's immigrants come together and become a nation, proud and strong. When you think of a melting pot, it brings forth images of precious metals heated down to their molten form and put in the molds to solidify. The roots of poker reach back to European aristocrats. Poker is a true product of the American spirit. Those who battle so diligently to keep others from this sport. I truly believe do not know its history or its effect on those who have played, and will continue to play. Just as our fathers and their fathers fought for freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So we must muster up the troops and do battle against those who would keep us from those freedoms. Poker has a rich and deep history, I feel should be imparted. 

http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2006/6/2006_6_38.shtml

Gov. Rick Perry is attempting to block HB collect 222 in the Texas House of Representatives, this is as of Friday May 8, 2009 .  
Please contact Gov. and let him know:
1. Don't block action on this bill. 
2. Texans should be allowed the opportunity to play poker in Texas.  
3. The Texas House of Representatives should be allowed the opportunity to vote on this bill

governor.state.tx.us/contact/
Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of Representatives

Telephone 
Information and Referral Hotline [for Texas callers] :
(800) 843-5789

Citizen's Opinion Hotline [for Texas callers] : 
(800) 252-9600

Information and Referral and Opinion Hotline [for Austin, Texas and out-of-state callers] :
(512) 463-1782

Office of the Governor Main Switchboard [office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST] :
(512) 463-2000

Citizen's Assistance Telecommunications Device
If you are using a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), 
call 711 to reach Relay Texas

Office of the Governor Fax: 
(512) 463-1849

Mailing Address 
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428

Delivery Address 
Office of the Governor
State Insurance Building
1100 San Jacinto
Austin, Texas 78701 

Twitter Rick Perry http://twitter.com/GovernorPerry

Now I ask you, Why would members of the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes have an interest in Texas politics. Well, for those of us to pay attention. We know. They want the streams of money to continue to cross the Red River. And they're willing to throw money and influence toward those who would keep Texas poker legislation at a standstill.

Oklahoma tribes with ace up sleeve.

Top Recipients of Oklahoma Tribal Money
Amount

(’07 - ’08) Recipient (Party) Tribe

 _____________________________________________
$35,000 Lt. Governor David Dewhurst(R) Choctaw 
$25,000 Stars Over Texas PAC(R) Choctaw 
$20,000 Lt. Governor David Dewhurst(R) Chickasaw  
$15,000 TX Repub. Legislative Caucus(R) Chickasaw  
$10,000 Attorney General Greg Abbott(R) Choctaw  
$10,000 Sen. Kip Averitt(R) Choctaw  
$10,000 Sen. Kim Brimer(R)* Choctaw  
$10,000 Rep. Tom Craddick(R) Chickasaw  
$10,000 Sen. Bob Deuell(R) Choctaw  
$10,000 Sen. Kevin Eltife(R) Choctaw  
$10,000 Sen. Chris Harris(R) Choctaw  
$10,000 House Dem. Campaign Com.(D) Chickasaw  
$10,000 Sen. Jane Nelson(R) Choctaw  
$10,000 Sen. Tommy Williams(R) Choctaw  

  *Lost 2008 election. 
 
Here's a link, that should be informative.

http://info.tpj.org/Lobby_Watch/03-19-09_gambling08contrib.html

On each side of any hotly debated issue, you'll find opinions and viewpoints that differ greatly. Here are some folks whose ideas oppose ours.

http://texansagainstgambling.org/

http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=14423

and you wonder why I urge others to get involved. These folks are organized. Well funded. And are not afraid it rattle their swords.

Welcome to our new Web site. We hope to be on the cutting edge of Texas poker news and reform. We want everyone interested in poker to get involved. And become a part of the Texas poker revolution. If you're tired of just sitting on the sidelines waiting for the laws to change in Texas' you're in the right spot. But we need your involvement. We need folks to submit articles, pictures, breaking news, blogs, forums and ideas. If your ready for change in the Poker Laws of Texas', we're the ones who have to make it happen. We can't expect others to have our best interest at heart. If you're asking" what can I do to help" here's what you can do to start. Just pass the word via e-mail, word of mouth , telephone, newspaper, forum posts, TV and radio. Anyone you can think of that has an interest and poker. Tell folks" I've just found this Web site texas poker revolution.com and they want us to get involved". Just think if we can get 10% of those people who play poker or would like to play poker on a regular basis in the state of Texas was a great beginning that would be. All we're asking for is a few minutes a day and little Texas know how. We Texans are steeped in a tradition of revolutionaries who didn't just let things happen the made them so. If you wanna get involved and be a part of this thing.

Contact us via e-mail at tpr.man_ed@yahoo.com

I know of North Carolina's long way from Texas. But I saw this and it reminded me of Texas. http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/5021091/ Up here in my neck of the woods. We've had several robberies of poker rooms in the past few years. The last one was only a couple of months ago. They were astonishingly similar to this one. Let's hope they get these guys. Are not sure if N.C. is a concealed carry state. I'll have to do some checking. I do know for sure that Texas is, and the thugs who been pulling robberies in my community are blessed, that they have not been met with hot lead yet. The article says that the police are treating the owners of the property and the patrons as victims. I have noticed that most members of the press tend to vilify poker players. I know, the way a lot of us like to play poker, straddles the line between legal poker and that which the state of Texas, believes is illegal. But these folks in North Carolina are setting and playing poker, a game that was born in this country, has a rich heritage. Legal or illegal, poker has been played by presidents, senators, Congressman, lawyers, judges, policemen, FBI,ATF,CIA agents, , all branches of the armed forces, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. My father and uncle used to tell me stories of how they played poker on ships and at landing fields and World War to break the tension. Sahel news media feels that it's necessary to put that us in the same category as rapists, murderers, thieves, drug dealers, prostitutes, pimps, pedophiles and CEOs who steel their companies blind and leave employees and stockholders with nothing. I don't know about you, but I have a problem being put in that class. If we're going to get the laws to change, we have to start by changing people's hearts and minds We at as productive members of the need to speak out all that will listen. And tell them that's enough were not allow that to happen anymore. You can't Paint me with that brush!

Video Link: Click Here

If you're one of those people who likes to have people over, to play a friendly game of poker. This story should steer the B-Gebers out of You.

Click Here

About three weeks ago I had a pleasure, of playing in a tournament. It was hosted by a charitable organization. It was held in a livestock auction barn. They had over 250 entry and although the temperature was in the 40's it was very well attended, which surprised me. I don't get out of the city much and when I do, it's for poker or pleasure. Not that pokers not pleasurable, but you and have to have other interests. A friend of mine told me about the game. He had played there last year, and said that it had been going on for six years. His brother plays in that area and had told him about the tournament. In order to enter you had to mail 2 money orders, 1 was for the entry and the other was for administration. are probably should've gotten a little bit more sleep the night before, but our running game and it went on until about 4:30 a.m.I made it home, blinked my eyes and the alarm was ringing. My friend" Fast"Eddie and I met at my house at about 6:45 a.m. the day of. With a cell phone in hand "Fast" Eddie at my side we attempted to find a place. We had general directions and were in contact with the my friend the navigator by phone. We met at Mickey D's at the last town to have some breakfast, and pen down the final directions. and as we drove off the highway on to the gravel road, I wondered what I've got myself into. I feel pretty much at home anywhere. I've played quite a few places casinos, under ground poker rooms, bars games and home games, and variations of all these. To but as we pulled up to the gate, I did this would be added to the list of new experiences. From the gate we could see the gravel parking lot, already full of pickup trucks with the few cars sprinkled in. There was a gentle man at the gate, he checked our names off his list and motioned us in. We parked and headed inside. I really thought I had dressed warm enough, but I began to wish for a down jacket and long underwear. It was freezing! Now as I said it was in a livestock auction barn, and they're not known to be well insulated. So it was as cold in there as it was outside. There were about 30 tables set up at one end of the barn. And all around the tables were kerosene and propane heaters. About halfway down a barn they had struck up a tarp as a barrier to the cold, but it only went up to about 10 ft. from the top of the roof. We were assigned seats and my friends and I'm milled around for awhile mainly standing next to the heaters. I found my way to my table, found my seat and sat down. They brought us over a plastic bag full of chips. And said that the No. 4 seat would be dealing. I felt pretty good about that, I'm a better player than I am a dealer. Though I do both from time the time, I don't like to play and deal with the same time. It throws me off my game. We started with 10 thousand chips and the blinds went up every hour. So it was a much slower pace than I'm used to. For the most part, every once play was pretty tight, at least in my table. And from what my friends told me later, that was pretty much the norm. Well, I could bore you with intricate hand by hand details of how I slowly bled away my chips. But mostly I lost them to a lady at our table. She's a solid player, and every time I went up against her I was destined to lose. Sometimes it's just like that. I played my cards right and so did she. We kept butting heads. And she kept winning the races. I got knocked out just-in-time for lunch. So I filled up as much as a could, on a barbecue. I thought I I might hang out and play in the cash game and an may be recoupe buy in. There was already one table running but it was full. Both my friends were still in the hunt and I began to doubt whether I could make it a home without nodding off at the wheel. So I bid my farewell and headed home. All and all it was a fine tournament, it was a little different than I was used to. But, hay, I thrive on new experiences. And this certainly was a first for me. 

http://pokerati.com/2009/04/21/stephenville_2009/#more-6795

I was up in Oklahoma, on Tuesday last week, I only have one reason to go to Oklahoma in the middle of the day. I had some hours to kill and couldn't find a game here in town. So I took the hour and 20 minute drive north across Red River to the tent with the big wall in front of it. Played for a while and the conversation got around to what I do for a living, and not being shy I told them that I was starting an on-line news service and poker reform Web site. Course of the nine players at the table 6 of us were from Texas ( which is a little above average) and the Texas players began discussing whether Bill 222 had a chance of passing ( probably not) and if so, would it make it past the governor's desk (not a ice cube's chance in hell). Now those that know me, know that I am not afraid to speak my mind, sometimes disregarding consequences and so I did, now don't get me wrong, I want the bill to pass, I personally don't care much for the drive up to Oklahoma , now I'm sure the people who live up there are proud of the state and are happy to be there. but as for me I have no reason to be there other than to play poker. If I do well and bring back some of the Oklahoma dollars then alll the better, I've sure left enough of my money up there for them. When I do travel there I don't stay to see the sights or scenery, though parts of Oklahoma are beautiful, I spent some vacation time in the past on their lakes,fishing and camping.. In other words I have no reason to be there other than to play cards. I am a student of human nature and in discussing poker and Texas politics with my fellow Texans wherever they may be, I try to temper my past experience with poker players with more optimism, then perhaps I should. As I said I want the bill pass and the reason I don't believe it will. Is not a lack of sympathetic support, it comes down to financial support and action. We can sit around the poker table till doomsday, talking this thing to death, and it won't get it done. We have to get behind it body, soul and pocket book.

I think it's important, that Texas poker players be informed, so we are posting the bill in its entirety.

Read It, Print It, Discuss It, how can poker players in Texas be better serve, and thus better represented by this bill. Please let us know what you think. We need your input. . 

(You could check the status of the bill here. )
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB222

(Here is a link to Jose Menendez website.)
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist124/menendez.htm

  81R1565 YDB-D
 
  By: Menendez H.B. No. 222

Click Here For The PDF Version on Bill No222