Satan Speaks on U.S. Online Poker Ban
The chief architect of the Internet gambling ban on Tuesday said he is losing patience with the Federal Reserve and the Department of Treasury as they struggle to craft regulations to enforce the ban.
Senator Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said the regulations are a year overdue, according to the 2006 prohibition statute. Kyle is quoted as mumbling:
"The longer it goes the less certainty there is. I mean, the people who are violating the law need to know that they're not going to be able the get away with it, and I think that the failure to get these regulations promulgated on time has perhaps given some hope, and it's given life even to an idea over in the House of Representatives to put a moratorium on the regulations."
Kyl was referring to a bill introduced April 11 by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas. The Frank-Paul bill would block the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department from completing regulations to enforce the ban.
The legislation followed a financial services subcommittee hearing April 2 in which Federal Reserve and Treasury Department officials said the regulations are difficult to complete, partly because the 2006 ban does not define unlawful Internet gambling.
Louise Roseman, director of bank operations and payment systems for the Federal Reserve, also testified that the prohibition of Internet gambling cannot be "ironclad."
Another bill, which Frank introduced last year, would repeal the Internet gambling ban and require the Treasury Department to regulate Internet gambling in the United States .
Despite his frustration with the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department, Kyl said he is not worried about efforts to block the regulations and roll back the online wagering ban.
"I would be concerned if something like that were to be adopted by the House ... I'm not sure that the momentum is there to actually get it done."
Jay Lakin, vice president of Poker Source Online and an opponent of the Internet gambling ban, said he reluctantly agrees.
"While many efforts have been made on behalf of overturning (the ban), so far it's just been bills and words on paper," Lakin said. "Nothing has moved forward. Until there's a change in Washington , I don't think we'll see much of a change."
NBC Heads-Up Success Proves Poker Popularity
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Jerry Yang, Winner 2007 WSOP World Championship, playing at the 2008 Heads-Up
NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship series continues to pull bigger numbers than last year, a very good sign for the poker industry. Of course, viewers are watching the best poker show on TV. A cast of A-list poker pros, sports figures and celebrities combined in a single elimination format modeled after college basketball has proven to be a winning combination. Now, bring in a sports entertainment giant, NBC, to produce the shows and viewers are assured of top quality poker.
More good news for poker? Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) have teamed up to introduce legislation that would remove the stigma cast on Internet poker by the Port Security Bill (Frist Folly). The Frist legislation (UIEGA) was to be enforced by the banking industry thru a credit/debit card transaction filter "thingy" with the ability to discern right from wrong and cancel all illegal transactions. Moving money to your Internet Race Book, that's legal and right, keep betting. Moving money into your player account located in the cage of an Internet poker room, that's illegal and wrong, stop, go directly to jail, don't pass go.
The banking industry, after a year of seeking a solution to this mandate (remember, these are the very same people that have to solve the sub-prime mortgage debacle), sent a letter to all members of Congress declaring the bill to be impossible to enforce. Barney Frank's bill will instruct the banking industry to ignore UIEGA. Mission accomplished.
What a strange, convoluted world we live in. The 9/11 inspired Port Security bill gets harpooned by the Frist anti-poker UIEGA bill, something conceived in such hast it contained an overlooked fatal flaw, it is impossible to enforce. Now we need new legislation that says, "Never Mind." In the future we really should give our full attention when deciding which people we will grant the honor of leadership and the right to serve our collective trust. Click here for a list of supporters for the Barney Frank bill. Check for your politician on the list and what to do if they are not there.
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Scotty Nguyen, Winner 1998 WSOP World Championship, playing at the 2008 Heads-Up
For those poker players watching the Sunday Noon Heads-Up Poker series on NBC and have decided they must play in the next championship I've included a list of criteria that will earn an automatic invitation to the card dance, after the jump...
Greg Raymer, Winner 2004 WSOP World Championship, playing at the 2008 Heads-Up
2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship's Automatic Invitation List
• Previous 2 National Heads-Up runners-up
• Defending National Heads-Up semifinalists
• Any player who cashes in the past 4 consecutive years of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship
• Previous 3 World Series of Poker Main Event Champions
• Defending World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up
• Beginning with the 2008 WSOP, multiple bracelet winners in the same year will receive an automatic invitation to the next Heads-Up Championship
• Defending World Series of Poker Player of the Year
• Defending World Series of Poker Heads-Up Champion
• Defending World Series of Poker Europe Main Event Champion (must be 21 or older)
• Reigning World Poker Tour Player of the Year
• Reigning Monte Carlo European Poker Tour Grand Final Champion (must be 21 or older)
• Reigning Card Player magazine Player of the Year
• Reigning Bluff magazine Player of the Year
• Reigning ALL IN magazine Player of the Year
• Online and NBC qualifiers (1-3) (must be 21 or older)
• Host venue qualifiers (2)
Party Poker Millions VI Cruise Set to Sail
The PartyPoker Millions Cruise is set to sail this Saturday with the sixth edition of the tournament. The cruise will leave from Venice, Italy, and stops off in Greece, Turkey and Croatia before turning back to historic Venice. The ship, the MSC Poesia, is a state of the art cruise liner packed with facilities and the cabins are now full. On board there will be restaurants, bars, tennis courts, mini golf, pools, spas, discos, a cinema, shopping and more…and not forgetting a massive 24/7 card room.
The PPM tournament will be a $8,200 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event which will also be recorded for worldwide broadcast. Mike Sexton will be host and MC, Matt Savage and Dave Lamb are tournament directors and the highly respected Card Player Cruises team that includes Linda Johnson, Mark Tenner and Jan Fisher will be onboard running the poker room.
30 countries will be represented in the main event and amongst those fancied to make an impact include Canada’s history-making Mike ‘Timex’ McDonald, Sweden’s 2008 Late Night Poker winner Andreas Jorbeck, Brazil’s Christian Kruel, Danish sensation Soeren Kongsgaard, Germany’s Florian Langmann and Alexander Jung and Finland’s Mika Paasonen. The line-up is a united nations of next generation poker talent.
Norwegian Poker Championship Begins in Nottingham, UK
The Norwegian Poker Championship begins today in Nottingham, England. The Norwegian government has banned poker. The state governed monopoly "Norsk Tipping" does not offer poker and anyone playing poker with money could face criminal prosecution. So, the Norwegian Championship is held outside of Norway at the Dusk Till Dawn casino in Nottingham.
The Norwegian Poker Championship is Norway's largest poker tournament and is expected to attract over 500 Norwegian players. Since the event was launched in 2002, the tournament has experienced rapid growth, this is the 7th running of the event.
With a total estimated prize pool of £350 000, the winner of the Main Event will also receive a complete 2008 WSOP package. The tournament will be covered with live video blogs and full scale TV production of the Main Event final table. A special poker documentary is also planned for the whole 8 day poker festival.
Below is the complete schedule:
All Japan Poker Championship
Japanese gambling laws are among the strictest in the world. So strict, in fact, that casinos are not even allowed to operate in the country of Japan. This has not stopped the second annual All Japan Poker Championship underway in Tokyo.
The tournament can be held because it does not make participants pay an entry fee and, in fact, no money is gambled at all. Poker tourneys that require an entry fee are illegal in Japan. The winner will get a bracelet and a $10,000 buy-in to the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.
The tournament is so popular that there is even a Ladies and Senior tourney which take place before the Main Event on May 18th. Last year, Kunihiro Sakamoto won the Main Event, and the $10,000 buy-in to the WSOP, after outlasting a field that included over 2,000 people.
Gus Hansen Crushes WPT Championship Early….. and then
Gus Hansen is crushing the final table at the World Poker Tour Championship at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Here is a summary of the final table action:
Beginning Chip Counts for six-handed Final Table:
Seat 1. John Roveto - 2,720,000
Seat 2. Gus Hansen - 8,570,000
Seat 3. David Chiu - 6,050,000
Seat 4. Tommy Le - 1,950,00
Seat 5. Cory Carroll - 6,670,000
Seat 6. Jeff King - 1,305,000
Action at Final table:
Hand #12 Jeff King eliminated in 6th place by Gus Hansen.
Hand #15 Tommy Le eliminated in 5th place by Gus Hansen.
Hand #16 Cory Carroll elininated in 4th place by Gus Hansen.
Hand #22 John Roveta eliminated in 3rd place by Gus Hansen.
Hansen rivered a ten to beat Jeff King's A-Q suited with his 10-9 suited. Hansen flopped a set of tens over Tommy Le's set of fives. Hansen rivered a seven-high diamond flush to overcome Cory Carroll's pair of jacks. And Hansen cracked John Roveto's pocket kings by rivering a jack-high straight with A-10 suited.
Heads Up Chip Count
Gus Hansen - 22,905,000
David Chiu - 4,360,000
By Hand #46 David was up to 11 Million.
On Hand #77 David won a big pot and brought the chips counts to:
Gus Hansen - 14,825,000
David Chiu - 12,450,000
Two hands later, David Chiu takes over the chiplead.
Hand #80: Gus moves all-in on the turn with two pair 10's & 8's; David calls with top pairs Aces and spikes an Ace on the river to finish a remarkable comeback.
David Chiu wins the 2008 WPT Championship.
Texas Hold’em Plus
This report is offered without commentary or critique. Readers are welcome to draw their own conclusions and scathing commentary is welcome in the comment section. There is a new form of poker being tried in several casinos. The Mirage in Las Vegas is one of the largest poker rooms to give Texas Hold'em Plus a trial run.
"Plus" is played exactly like normal Texas Hold'em except that after the hole cards are dealt and before the first round of betting, each player in turn may discard one of their down cards and replace it for an amount equal to the small blind. The "Plus" bet goes into the pot and the deal then plays out like any other Hold'em hand.
One benefit, of course, is that the house is likely to get a full rake on the game with between $0 and $10 in a $2/$4 game or up to $20 in a $4/$8 game being added to the pot pre-flop.
We observed several tables of "Plus" being played at the Mirage and the most common play was for a player to buy a new down card and then still fold the hand. In effect, as many as 50% of the players were paying a small blind in nearly every hand. Players with an Ace-rag were always willing to buy a new card to go with their Ace.
Hold'em Plus is the first patented poker game played in a poker room, as opposed to table games like Caribbean Stud and Let It Ride. Rooms wishing to offer Hold'em Plus to have to pay a licensing fee to the developer.
NBC 2008 National Heads-Up Championship Airs Sunday
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Phil Ivey, poker superstar
Sunday Noon crank up the Hi-Def and tune it to your local NBC affiliate for some of the best poker you'll ever see on the tube. The third installment of NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship from Caesars Palace Las Vegas will keep you entertained for two hours while you mingle with the who's who of poker players and a few poker playing celebrities. This week you'll see a lot of baseball superstar Orel Hershiser as he rips his way through the ranks of the pro poker community.
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Doyle Brunson, Poker Grand Master, consults with Orel Hershiser
Last year it was Shannon Elizabeth in the celebrity spotlight, this year it belonged to Orel Hershiser. The lanky baseball player is a natural born talent at most everything he does and that includes poker. Hershiser also entertained the players and crowd during breaks with his trademark stories and antics.
Don't miss this Sunday's episode at Noon ET. Check your local listings for exact times in your area. Three more installments remain after this Sunday with a total of seven hours of poker action leading to the 2008 heads-up poker champion.
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Orel Hershiser entertains the crowd with baseball tricks
For a FlipChip mini photo gallery from the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship click here.
Party to the Philippines
Party Poker is sending players to the Asian Poker Tour tournament in Manila. You read about all the places poker tournaments take place and all of the online qualifiers but Party is willing to send you to the Philippines. Now I have visited Las Vegas and London but the Philippines, man I am ready to go.
Here are the details.
PartyPoker.com is pleased to announce that online qualifiers have started for 2008’s inaugural Asian Poker Tour event in Manila , the Philippines. An estimated four hundred players will take part in this showpiece event with a guaranteed prize pool of $1 million and PartyPoker.com has 11 packages up for grabs. Qualifiers are already online, starting from $1, but you have to hurry as the event takes place from May 27th through to June 1st.
The package is worth $6,000 and includes the $2,500 main event buy-in, seven nights at the fantastic Dusit Thani Manila Hotel and $2,500 in spending money. There will be two main $300 +$20 satellites a week with routes into them starting at $1.
1970s WSOP Bracelet Winners
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Doyle Brunson with WSOP bracelet #10
As we race towards the end of the first decade of the 21st century, we often forget about poker's humble origins, particularly in Las Vegas a city that implodes the old and rebuilds the new.
The WSOP has come a long way since the first year when the players voted on best all around player. Johnny Moss got the nod in 1970 and since then, a freezeout style tournament has determined the bracelet winners.
I recently took a peek at the list of early bracelet winners. The early 1970s was dominated by the legends... Johnny Moss, Puggy Pearson, Sailor Roberts, Jack Strauss, Bill Boyd.
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Puggy Pearson (left), poker legend
1973 was the Year of Puggy as he took down three bracelets out of six total WSOP events played that year. Puggy won the Main Event, the $1K NL event, and $4K Seven-card Stud. Granted one of those was the equivalent of a two-table SNG, but those were some tough players. They also had two $3K buy-in Deuce to Seven events that year.
The later-half of the 1970s was dominated by Doyle Brunson, Bobby Baldwin, and Gary Berland. They combined for thirteen bracelets including three world championships. Berland picked up five bracelets in a three year stretch and Brunson collected six from 1976-79.
Check out the list of 1970s bracelet winner's after the jump...
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
WSOP Main Event Championship bracelet won by Jamie Gold in 2006
1970
Johnny Moss - Main Event
1971
Johnny Moss - Main Event
1972
Amarillo Slim Preston - Main Event
Bill Boyd - $10K Five-card Stud
1973
Puggy Pearson - Main Event
Puggy Pearson - $4K Seven-card Stud
Puggy Pearson - $1K NL
Jack Strauss - $3K Deuce to Seven
Aubrey Day - $3K Deuce to Seven
Sam Angel - $1K Razz
1974
Johnny Moss - Main Event
Jimmy Casella - $10K Seven-card Stud
Jimmy Casella - $1K Razz
Bill Boyd - $5K Five-card Stud
Sailor Roberts - $5K NL Deuce to Seven Draw
Amarillo Slim - $1K NL Hold'em
1975
Sailor Robers - Main Event
Sam Angel - $1K Razz
Billy Baxter - $1K Deuce to Seven Draw
Jay Heimowitz - $5K NL
Johnny Moss - $1K Seven-card Stud
1976
Doyle Brunson - Main Event
Doyle Brunson - $5K Deuce to Seven Draw
Howard Andrew - $2,500 NL
Howard Andrew - $1K NL
Perry Green - $1K Ace to Five Draw
Doc Green - $1K Seven-card Stud Split
Johnny Moss - $500 Seven-card Stud
Walter Smiley - $5K Seven-card Stud
1977
Doyle Brunson - Main Event
Doyle Brunson - $1K Seven-sard Stud Split
Bobby Baldwin - $10K Deuce to Seven Draw
Bobby Baldwin - $5K Seven-sard Stud
Gary Berland - $500 Seven-Card Razz
Perry Green - $5K Ace to Five Draw
Richard Schwartz - $5K Razz
Louis "Sager" Hunsucker - $1,500 NL
George Huber - $1K NL
Fats Morgan - $1K Seven-card Stud Split
Jeff Sandow - $500 Seven-card Stud
Billy Allen - $500 Ace to Five Draw
Jackie McDaniels - $100 Women's Seven-card Stud
1978
Bobby Baldwin - Main Event
Billy Baxter - $10K Deuce to Seven Draw
Doyle Brunson - $5K Seven-card Stud
Gary Berland - $1K Razz
Gary Berland - $500 Seven-card Stud
Hand "Tuna" Lund - $1,500 NL
Aubrey Day - $1K NL
Chip Reese - $1K Seven-card Stud Split
Lakewood Louie - $5K Draw High
Henry Young - $1K Ace to Five Draw
Terry King - $200 Seven-card Stud
1979
Hal Fowler - Main Event
Gary Berland - $500 Seven-card Stud
Gary Berland - $1K Seven-card Stud Split
Lakewood Louie - $2K Draw High
Lakewood Louie - $1K Ace to Five Draw
Sam Mastrogiannis - $1K Razz
Bobby Baldwin - $10K Deuce to Seven Draw
Johnny Moss - $5K Seven-card Stud
Perry Green - $1,500 NL
Dewey Tomko - $1K NL
Starla Brodie and Doyle Brunson - $600 Mixed Doubles
Barbara Freer - $400 Women's Seven-card Stud
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WSOP Info is your source to online poker news and information regarding the WSOP 2008. The World Series Of Poker is the largest Poker event in the world.
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