EU Negative Report on Online Poker
The European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will meet next week in Brussels to consider a draft report which seeks a European Parliament Resolution on 'the integrity of online gambling'. The report is clearly not favorable to online gaming and online poker. And although the report is not binding on future Commission action, the report reasserts all of the negatives used by opponents of online gaming and freedom of the internet. Once again we are to be protected from ourselves.
There is a separate political issue involved here that does not get much press and that is the EU Commission and the European Court of Justice are overwhelmed with gaming cases. Every country wants to assert it sovereign rights over gambling issues and every other country wants everyone else to honor those local and jingoistic regulations. Unfortunately, the EU was established, at least in part, to lower such lower tariffs and trade laws but with gambling there is the miasma of the moral and social order to be considered.
Rather than seek to revolve issues of regulation and fair business practices, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee has chosen to go with the reactionary position of prohibition.
"Member States have a legitimate interest in monitoring and regulating their gambling markets in order to protect consumers against addiction, fraud, money-laundering and fixed games as well as to protect the culturally-built funding structures which finance sports activities and other social causes," and "underlines that online gambling operators should comply with the legislation of the Member State in which they provide their services."
The report goes on site the nebulous fears of all prohibitionists:
"Online gambling is likely to give rise to risks to consumers and that Member States may therefore legitimately restrict the freedom to provide online gambling services in order to protect consumers."
Fortunately, the EU Parliament tends to act in the best interest of the whole of the EU populations, whereas the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee tends to put forward the interests of individual member states, many of which seek to retain their own national gaming monopolies.
Online gaming continues to be the single largest unresolved issue before the EU Commission with no real signs of any movement towards an open market solution at this time.
Poker on the Fringe
I guess its close enough to All Hallows Eve to offer up some of the stranger happenings and non-happenings in the wide world of poker. Out there is the hinderlands, in the casinos and card rooms; tournaments and cash games; all kinds of happenings strange and stranger take place. Here are just a few:
Clonie Gowen won a poker tournament and I don't mean a six handed game in someone's garage; though she is invited to my garage any night of the week. I just need a one hour notice to take my cobalt medicine.
Clonie took down the $5,000 World Poker Open at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. One hundred and seven entrants took on the WPO, which used to be a big tournament on the circuit but has fallen by the regular tour wayside with so many other events vying for players this fall. But Clonie has always considered Tunica her home poker grounds. I even took her out a few years back with Kings over Queens; you know she can hold a grudge. Anyway, the wonderous Ms. Gowen took it all down after entering the final table with the chip lead. She takes home a $183,224 championship payday and gives me a reason to use her photo, which is why this item made it onto my fringe list in the first place.
Lots of casinos offer beginner's poker classes. Well actually many rooms have a sign up that says they offer instruction but new players are usually too embarrassed to actually take them up on the offer. But the Commerce Casino has created Poker University. Well maybe not quite a university but a weekly two hour class for beginner's that will actually give them the necessary skills to sit down at a low limit table. The 'University" runs every Tuesday, is limited to 25 students and is run in an isolated area of the casino, so they participants might actually be able to learn a trick or two.
From the Commerce press release: The University will feature poker comedian Roger Rodd - to provide a little levity to the proceedings - but will also be an intensive training course for newcomers to the world of poker as well as those intermediate players who need a little brushing up on their skills. Rodd is no stranger to the poker world; known as Hollywood’s “Instructor to the Stars,†Rodd has taught the game of poker to Hollywood’s brightest personalities and also served as poker coach for the movie “Lucky You,â€
OK, so the mention of Lucky You is what set off my fridge-o-meter here. Those folks in Hollywood just never know when to leave a truly enormous flop off of their resume.
Finally, this really fridgy item. It seems the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a political entity recognized only by Turkey, has begun to host poker tournaments and has "applied to the World Poker Tour" to organize a WPT event. OK, so we have the mere mention of region? province? country?, which might insight civil war. The violation of several national gaming laws on gambling and in particular a ban on tournament poker and an invitation to all of folks, the WPT, which is floundering on its own in the U.S. We all know how much thoughtful planning leads to a good, solid bankruptcy filing. Rube Goldberg would be proud of this and so would the International Monetary Fund. Hey, speaking of that, how about a huge charity poker tournament to bail out the world economy.
Poker on the Fringe
I guess its close enough to All Hallows Eve to offer up some of the stranger happenings and non-happenings in the wide world of poker. Out there is the hinderlands, in the casinos and card rooms; tournaments and cash games; all kinds of happenings strange and stranger take place. Here are just a few:
Clonie Gowen won a poker tournament and I don't mean a six handed game in someone's garage; though she is invited to my garage any night of the week. I just need a one hour notice to take my cobalt medicine.
Clonie took down the $5,000 World Poker Open at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. One hundred and seven entrants took on the WPO, which used to be a big tournament on the circuit but has fallen by the regular tour wayside with so many other events vying for players this fall. But Clonie has always considered Tunica her home poker grounds. I even took her out a few years back with Kings over Queens; you know she can hold a grudge. Anyway, the wonderous Ms. Gowen took it all down after entering the final table with the chip lead. She takes home a $183,224 championship payday and gives me a reason to use her photo, which is why this item made it onto my fringe list in the first place.
Lots of casinos offer beginner's poker classes. Well actually many rooms have a sign up that says they offer instruction but new players are usually too embarrassed to actually take them up on the offer. But the Commerce Casino has created Poker University. Well maybe not quite a university but a weekly two hour class for beginner's that will actually give them the necessary skills to sit down at a low limit table. The 'University" runs every Tuesday, is limited to 25 students and is run in an isolated area of the casino, so they participants might actually be able to learn a trick or two.
From the Commerce press release: The University will feature poker comedian Roger Rodd - to provide a little levity to the proceedings - but will also be an intensive training course for newcomers to the world of poker as well as those intermediate players who need a little brushing up on their skills. Rodd is no stranger to the poker world; known as Hollywood’s “Instructor to the Stars,†Rodd has taught the game of poker to Hollywood’s brightest personalities and also served as poker coach for the movie “Lucky You,â€
OK, so the mention of Lucky You is what set off my fridge-o-meter here. Those folks in Hollywood just never know when to leave a truly enormous flop off of their resume.
Finally, this really fridgy item. It seems the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a political entity recognized only by Turkey, has begun to host poker tournaments and has "applied to the World Poker Tour" to organize a WPT event. OK, so we have the mere mention of region? province? country?, which might insight civil war. The violation of several national gaming laws on gambling and in particular a ban on tournament poker and an invitation to all of folks, the WPT, which is floundering on its own in the U.S. We all know how much thoughtful planning leads to a good, solid bankruptcy filing. Rube Goldberg would be proud of this and so would the International Monetary Fund. Hey, speaking of that, how about a huge charity poker tournament to bail out the world economy.
Red Rock Harley-Davidson Opens with a Poker Tournament
photos by the flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Red Rock Harley-Davidson
How do you open a brand new Harley-Davidson dealership with a 104,000 square foot store? If you're Red Rock Harley-Davidson in Las Vegas you schedule a "Rock-Hard, Ride Harder" three day party and cap off the grand opening festivities with a Charity Poker Tournament to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). That's how we do things in Las Vegas.
The Hoyt Corkins Celebrity Poker Tournament will get underway on Saturday at 3 PM at the H-D dealership located at 2260 S. Rainbow on the west side of Las Vegas. Players will be competing for a 2008 105th Anniversary Edition Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a WORLD model Curtis & Co watch plus the obligatory trophy. Other prizes include a bunch of great H-D merchandise.
There will be plenty of poker pros on-hand and competing in the affair including poker legends Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth plus newcomers from the upcoming 2008 WSOP final table, David Rheems and chip leader Dennis Phillips. The buy-in for the Saturday tournament is $500 and everyone is cordially invited to participate. Satellites will run all day Friday for a very affordable $60 entry fee. WPT Boot Camp will be conducting free poker seminars for players wanting to improve their game. Ring games will be offered on Saturday in addition to the Hoyt Corkins Celebrity Poker Tournament. There will be complimentary drinks from Hogs & Heifers Saloon for all players. You must be 21 years of age to play.
Use this direct link for more details and to pre-register for the event. On-site registration starts at noon on Friday, November 7th. Seating is limited.
photos by the flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Hoyt Corkins at play during the 2008 WSOP Main Event
60 Minutes set to Air Internet Poker Cheating Scams
photos by the flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Rio Resort, home of the World Series of Poker
Poker Player Newspaper online is reporting an upcoming 60 Minutes on CBS will feature a segment on the cheating scandals in Internet poker rooms. New York based poker industry insider, Wendeen H. Eolis, has published an exposé of the 60 Minutes news show's effort to conduct an in-depth investigation into the apparent scams that have been used to separate unsuspecting Internet poker players from their money.
Eolis believes the show will probably air on Sunday, November 9th. If the date looks familar it's the same day the 2008 WSOP final table will be broadcast on ESPN. Whether this segment will help or hurt efforts to legalize Internet card rooms remains to be seen. Depending on the slant of the 60 Minutes' producers, the piece could make a case for legalizing and regulating Internet poker or it could paint such a black picture it becomes politically untouchable. Much of the material for the segment was collected inside the Amazon Room, the WSOP's poker room, during the 2008 WSOP at the Rio Resort in Las Vegas last summer.
If you have an interest in Internet poker returning to the US in a legal, regulated, and money safe manner then you won't want to miss this edition of 60 Minutes or the latest Eolis' article, Sixty Minutes: The Ultimate Gamble.
Read Wendeen H. Eolis' article now using this direct link to Poker Player Newspaper online.
Microgaming to Block Many U.S. Poker Players
Reacting to a court ruling in the State of Kentucky, Microgaming has announced it will restrict (ban) access to all of its poker platforms from thirteen states in the U.S. Citing "laws already on the books but not being enforced" the blocks will go into effect "within the time period for the Kentucky ruling", which is now less than 30 days.
The states to be blocked are: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Utah.
The gaming websites that run on the Microgaming platform are most notably: Doyles's Room, Gnuf and all Eurolinx affiliates.
Once again the various political entities in the U.S. are legislating at cross purposes much like the confederacy of the European Union. While the U.S. Federal government is moving to regulation, tax and control online poker; individual states are seeking to restrict internet access and control the hearts, minds and wallets of their citizens.
WSOP Final Table Television Schedule
As we get closer to the "nearly live" final table of the World Series of Poker, ESPN and other broadcast outlets are beginning to ramp up the promotional hype. Below is the final schedule for the 'first run' ESPN shows. Most other outlets around the world show the same schedule on a 12 to 48 hour delay. ESPN also shows the same episodes twice the following week.
Tuesday, October 28 at 9:00 PM ET –27 players to 18
Tuesday, October 28 at 10:00 PM ET –18 players to 9
Tuesday, November 4 at 10:00 PM ET –Final table preview show
Tuesday, November 11 at 8:00 PM ET –Final table preview show
Tuesday, November 11 at 9:00 PM ET –Final table
Tuesday, November 11 at 10:00 PM ET –Champion Crowned
As you probably know, the live schedule calls for the nine players to assemble on Sunday November 9th and play down to heads up. The two remaining players come back the evening of November 10th and play it out. Then ESPN will decide how much play goes in each of the final two shows. Remember "Heads Up" could last one hand or two hundred.
And what they are playing for:
First Place: $9,119,517
Second Place: $5,790,024
Third Place: $4,503,352
Fourth Place: $3,763,515
Fifth Place: $3,088,012
Sixth Place: $2,412,510
Seventh Place: $1,769,174
Eighth Place: $1,286,672
Ninth Place: $900,670*
*all nine players were paid $900,670 back in July; so the first bustout gets nothing; well actually he gets his share of the interest earned on the remaining prize pool since July.
World Series of Poker Main Event Tuesday night on ESPN
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Waiting for the river
Tonight at 9 PM ET on ESPN2 - two hours of original programming from the 2008 World Series of Poker™. This is the last installments before the final table reconvenes in two weeks following the 117 day break. Twenty-seven players are all that's left from the 6844 that started the event two weeks earlier. Tonight's action will see the number reduced to the final table nine.
Tune in for televised poker at its' best. Watch as the stress of playing for millions of dollars takes a heavy toll on the players. Catch the moment of defeat when the final river card deflates and a player's dreams of poker immotality are gone in an instant. The adrenalin is running high, chips are flying and one wrong decision can cost a player millions in cash.
The action gets under way at 9 PM ET on the ESPN Sports Network; but as always, check local listings for exact times in your area. Next week's two hours of WSOP poker will be a review of the upcoming final table. More Flipchip photos from Day 7 of the Main Event after the jump.
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
ESPN feature TV table
**********************************
Tiffany Michelle crashes after being eliminated in 17th place for $334,534
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Chris Klodnick leaves in 12th place with $591,869
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Owen Crowe finished 14th for $463,201
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Scott Montgomery makes the final table
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Gert Andersen takes 14th place and $463,201
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Joe Bishop was 11th and received $591,869
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Joe Bishop's friends sends champagne to the table
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Joe shares the good stuff with the table
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
David Rheems makes the final table
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Ylon Schwartz makes the final table
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Dean Hamrick stands as he waits for the river that sends him home in 10th place with $591,869 in cash
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
The final table nine - from left - Ylon Schwartz, Kelly Kim, Dennis Phillips, Peter Eastgate, Darus Suharto, Scott Montgomery, Craig Marquis, Ivan Demidov, and David 'Chino' Rheem
WSOP Wanna Bet?
As we getting closer and closer to the World Series of Poker main event final table. There are more and more betting odds being put out. Here are some of the more interesting from several different online gaming sites:
Here is the final table line-up with chip stacks and seating:
Seat 1: Dennis Phillips - 26,295,000
Seat 2: Craig Marquis - 10,210,000
Seat 3: Ylon Schwartz - 12,525,000
Seat 4: Scott Montgomery - 19,690,000
Seat 5: Darus Suharto - 12,520,000
Seat 6: David 'Chino' Rheem - 10,230,000
Seat 7: Ivan Demidov - 24,400,000
Seat 8: Kelly Kim - 2,620,000
Seat 9: Peter Eastgate - 18,375,000
Odds To Win:
Dennis Phillips - 3/1 (4.5/1 secondary site)
Scott Montgomery - 4/1 (5/1)
Ivan Demidov - 4.5/1 (4.9/1)
Peter Eastgate 5.5/1 (5.6/1)
David 'Chino' Rheem - 7.5/1 (10.5/1)
Ylon Schwartz - 8/1 (9.5/1)
Darus Suharto - 8.5/1 (11.5/1)
Craig Marquis - 10/1 (12/1)
Kelly Kim - 25/1 (40/1)
-not exactly chip for chip.
Odds on First Bustout
Dennis Phillips - 13/1
Scott Montgomery - 13/2
Ivan Demidov - 10/1
Peter Eastgate 13/2
David 'Chino' Rheem - 7/2
Ylon Schwartz - 5/1
Darus Suharto - 5/1
Craig Marquis - 4/1
Kelly Kim - 5/3
-after considering the short stack, someone really analyzed the playing styles; fast and aggressive can also mean crash and burn.
What will be the winning hand?
One Pair 2/3
High Card 9/4
Two Pair 3/2
-this is easy with just a bit of poker knowledge and a look at past final tables.
WSOP Main Event Final Table Details
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Rio Resort Las Vegas
The final two days of the 2008 WSOP are almost here. Soon we will finally know who is the 2008 World Champion of Poker. It all begins on Sunday, November 9th, at 10 AM PST. The November Nine will take their seats at the final table at the Rio All-Suite Resort and commence play. They will continue until only two players remain, then they will adjourn until Monday November 10th.
Heads-up play will begin at 10 PM on Monday and continue until the final all-in and a call that determines the champion. The players are vying for $32 million in cash and one diamond encrusted platinum bracelet, the most coveted prize in all of poker.
The final table is set to take place in the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio Resort. Even if you can't make it to the live show you'll still be treated to a same day showing of all the action from each day on the ESPN Sports network and you'll see it up close in HD.
Stop by later for this weeks mini-gallery of Flipchip photos from Day 7 of the Main Event. WSOP poker on ESPN will premier another two hours of original programming from Day 7 at 9 PM ET on Tuesday evening. Mark it down because you don't want to miss this weeks WSOP poker action - the players are few, the stacks are huge and the stakes are astronomical.
photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio Resort in Las Vegas
-
Featured Room
Cake Poker -
About
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.
-
Blogroll
- A Gambler’s Guide
- Official World Series Of Poker Website
- PokerBlog.com - The Professional Poker Blog
- Prof’s Vegas Poker Blog - Poker and Gaming News from Las Vegas Nevada