PokerUpdate.com

Final Table for Southern Comfort WSOP National Championship Set

Bruno de Paiva — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:15:59 +0000

The final table for the Southern Comfort 100 Proof World Series of Poker (WSOP) National Championship at Harrah’s New Orleans has been set.

Brock Parker will have the chip lead when the final table begins, with a stack of 825,000 chips to his name. Jeremy Ausmus is hot on his heels, however, with just 26,000 fewer chips than Parker. Also on the final table is WSOP Gold Bracelet winner Max Steinberg, who with 738,000 chips, is in a good position to capture his second bracelet when the final table resumes.

Parker stands to win his third WSOP Gold Bracelet if he continues his lead and wins this event, a feat that would be impressive considering that he’s just 27. Parker earned his Gold Bracelets by winning the $2,500 Limit Hold'em Short Handed event and the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Short Handed event in the 2009 WSOP. While he has not been able to replicate that success in recent years, 2013 may be his year if he can replicate his performance in this tournament so far.

The first American WSOP event in 2013 attracted a number of big names, many of whom did not make it to the final table. Fellow two-time WSOP Gold Bracelet winner Jason Mercier was one of them, being eliminated on the second day of play just short of the money. 2013 California State Poker Championship winner Brett Hanks was also in attendance, but he was not able to repeat the success he had in California just over one week ago.

Texan poker player Austin Apicella was the bubble of the event after he was eliminated by Ausmus in ninth place. Ausmus, who had Pocket Jacks, called an all in from Apicella, who had King Jack. The Pocket Jacks held after the board was shown and Apicella was knocked out from the tournament and received $30,785 for his efforts at the event.

With a chip stack of 117,000, Joe Tehan will have the shortest stack going into the final table. Despite this, it is unfair to rule him out of winning the event at this stage of the game given his experience at the highest echelons of poker. Tehan took out the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Main Event in 2010 and has played multiple WSOP tourneys since 2006, making him a dangerous player regardless of stack size.

The prize pool has been set for the Southern Comfort WSOP National Championship, with $355,599 going to the eventual first place getter: Another reason why this final table is set to be a stellar one.

Ohio Aims to Shut Down Internet Cafes

Charles Rettmuller — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:27:18 +0000

In a move designed to close hundreds of Internet cafes, Ohio lawmakers voted 27-6 in favor of a bill to restrict payments to $10 on sweepstakes machines.

With more than 600 such cafes throughout the state, Rep. Matt Huffman was able to gather legislative support at a ratio of more than 4-1 for HB 7. The bill has been sent to Governor John Kasich for his signature, which will likely end the proliferation of illegal gaming being run by the cafes.

As observed by Sen. Larry Obhof, Ohio voters never authorized statewide gambling. If they would like to authorize it, a petition with the requisite number of signatures would allow the matter to be voted on in the November 2014 election, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Some of the 27 legislators who voted aye are of the mind that the bill doesn't do enough to shut down the cafes. Some who opposed the bill's passage would like to see the Internet cafes regulated rather than shut down. In any event, it appears Kasich will sign the bill and only charitable organizations will be permitted to run electronic gaming after convincing lawmakers of their adherence to state laws.

Earlier this year, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed legislation shuttering hundreds of Internet cafes in the Sunshine State. That statute was hurriedly passed after 57 people with ties to the cafes were indicted in a racketeering and money laundering scam. Ohio authorities made no such arrests.

Maryland’s Rocky Gap Casino Hiring 200 Poker Dealers and Managers

Khurram Aziz — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:49:19 +0000

State officials in Maryland have welcomed its fourth casino which features 558 slot machines and 10 table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps, Mississippi stud poker and three-card poker at a lakefront lodge in the mountains of Western Maryland.

Rocky Gap Casino Resort opened its doors Wednesday in an area which was once a taxpayer-subsidized golf resort.

“It’s going to need some love, but I think there’s a great deal of potential,” said Frank Turner, vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over gambling issues.

The $35 million casino will be open around the clock and will be run but Evitts Resort, a subsidiary of Minnesota-based Lakes Entertainment which acquired Rocky Gap last summer for far less than the state paid to build it, with a promise of constructing a casino there and upgrading the resort.

Early indications, according to the casino owners, are that the resort is already doing well.

“It’s open and jamming,” said Scott Just, the general manager of the resort. “There’s a couple hundred people in there. They were pressing up against the ropes.”

Just says that he hopes the casino will be inclusive of the whole community, with its core market consisting of people within an hour’s drive.

“But our outer core is certainly 200 miles plus,” added Just. That’s a radius that encompasses Baltimore, Washington and Pittsburgh.

Casinos in Maryland are thought to have already generated the state $58.9 million in revenue in April alone, with future casinos planned for Baltimore and Prince George’s County. These would not open until 2016.

Sands Super High Roller At WPT

Bruno de Paiva — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:08:56 +0000

David Sands is a million dollars richer today after he took out the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship $100,000 Super High Roller event.

The man known simply as ‘Doc’ bested a field of 21 players to win the event, which was held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. While Sands was fourth on the chip ladder at the beginning of the six-player final table, his stellar play on the final day helped chip him up en route to winning the event and its $1,023,750 first prize.

Short stack Andrew Robl was the first final table player to be eliminated, which was done at the hands of Jim Courtney, who entered the final table as chip leader. Super High Roller tournament veteran Steven Silverman was the next to go, with Daniel Perper knocking him out after his Pocket Queens held to take the hand.

Courtney would be the bubble of the tournament after he was eliminated in fourth place, also by Perper, who began the day with the shortest stack on the table. Only the top three players in the Super High Roller event would be in the money, which meant Perper, Cheong and Sands could breathe a little easier.

Perper himself would be the next to be eliminated by the eventual winner after a pre-flop showdown that had Sands showing Pocket Fives and Perper showing King Seven off suit. Sands hit a set on the flop and they held for the rest of the board, which helped give him a major chip lead over Cheong going into heads-up play.

With 4,765,000 chips, Doc has over three million chips more than Cheong, who went into heads up play with a stack of 1,530,000. Sands would make quick work of Cheong, eliminating him on the fourth hand of heads up play.

Cheong, who had Ace Three off suit, moved all in pre-flop, a move which was called by Sands, who outkicked Cheong with Ace Eight off suit. The Queen of Spades, Five of Diamonds and Two of Spades flop meant Sands’ hand was still good, but gave Cheong an inside straight draw.

The Ace of Diamonds on the turn and Nine of Spades on the river did not help Cheong, however, and Doc was officially the WPT Super High Roller champion. Despite the second place finish, it was not all bad news for Cheong as he still walked away with $614,250 for his efforts in the event.

The win is the second time this year Sands has earned over $1 million in a single poker tournament. Sands also came second in the $98,000 Super High Roller event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January, which made him a cool $1,259,320.

Suspect Indicted Over Poker Room Beating

Khurram Aziz — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:16:16 +0000

The charges against 26-year-old Bryan Adam Lisio are two Class A felony counts of armed robbery, one Class B felony count each of unarmed robbery, second-degree assault with bodily injury and second-degree assault (strangulation).

Prosecutors say that Lisio waited in the car park of the poker club as the 64-year-old victim got out of his car. Lisio, who was armed with a handgun, is alleged to have attacked the man, beating him over the head, strangling him until he blacked out and then taking $80 from his wallet.

According to police, Lisio was a former employee of The Poker Room who was familiar with the shift-change timing and positioning of security camera.

He was arrested in February and his bail has been set at $50,000. Lisio’s previous convictions include assault and battery in Massachusetts in 2010, for which he was on probation until later in 2013, as well as theft in 2005 and driving while intoxicated in 2008.

ISPT Continues Attracting Players

Charles Rettmuller — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:18:13 +0000

The International Stadiums Poker Tour (ISPT) at London's Wembley Stadium is set to go live on May 31 and the inaugural event continues to attract more players.

With just over one week to go, 178 players who either bought in directly for €2700 + €300 or gained entry via satellites are set to compete in Day Twos. Those who chose to bypass Day One by buying in and receiving the average starting chip total when Day 2A commences include Dave "Devilfish" Ulliot, Erich Kollman, and the Hendon Mob's Barney and Ross Boatman. They will join ISPT ambassadors Sam Trickett and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi with 53,384 in chips.

The chip leader at the moment is Barrie Price with 183,800. Right on his tail is fellow countryman Adebavo Odetovinbo at 170,275. Team Ivey is represented in third place by Nicolas Cardyn and his chip stack of 136,593. Last in the current 178-player field is Stanislas Chevallier, who has his work cut out for him with a starting stack of 9,034.

Entry to the live event via Day One satellites is still available for a €300 buy-in online at Dusk Till Dawn (DTD) from May 26-31 and live at the DTD poker room in Nottingham from May 25-27.

The controversial ISPT has changed directions a number of times since first being announced by founders Laurent Tapie and Prosper Masquelier. The tour was conceived on the assumption that Group Tapie would purchase Full Tilt and promote the event via that website. When a workable deal could not be reached with the U.S. DoJ to purchase the shuttered site, new strategies had to be employed.

Those strategies included discarding the original idea of gathering 30,000 players to compete via laptop at Wembley Stadium until a select number concluded the event live on the Wembley field. Instead, a number of online poker sites hosted satellites to the tournament, with DTD aligning forces as the main sponsor.

DTD also guaranteed €1,000,000 to the winner of the event following the scrapping of an overall prize pool guarantee of €20,000,000 when it became obvious that player participation would likely fall far short of that number. However, sponsorship deals with DTD, the Hendon Mob, Red Bull and players such as Trickett, Mizrachi, David Benyamine and Liz Lieu have given the event a respectable amount of credibility.

Galea to Guide New Jersey Online Gaming Launch

Bruno de Paiva — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:02:03 +0000

Mario Galea has been hired as a consultant by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) to help guide the state as it pursues the regulation and launch of online gaming.

The appointment comes just one week and a half after Mr Galea was taken on as Chairman of the Lotteries & Gaming Authority of Malta (LGA), a body where he was previously the CEO.

Draft legislation was recently put on the New Jersey legislative website for viewing by stakeholders and the general public. The final bill is set to be officially published on June 2, which will mark the beginning of a 60 day public comment period. When this period expires, the DGE will review and respond to all comments made during the period and will then pass the bill through the state legislature.

DGE Director Dave Rebuck said that Mr Galea was selected from a shortlist of seven candidates and would immediately begin his new role. Mr Rebuck had previously said the DGE needed additional technical resources and expertise to help push through online gaming regulation.

New Jersey have certainly attained that expertise with the appointment of Mr Galea as a consultant. Mr Galea served as LGA’s CEO between 2004 and 2008, and oversaw the introduction of laws permitting online gaming in Malta. This made Malta the first EU member state to regulate online gaming, which was carried out in May 2004.

These regulations have helped establish the southern European country as the largest online gaming jurisdiction in the world, with around 300 online gaming companies basing their operations in Malta.

Along with his experience in his home country, Mr Galea has also run his own gaming consultancy service, which he based primarily in the United States. This has helped give him a well-deserved reputation as a knowledgeable and experienced figure in the gaming world with a strong expertise on gaming regulation.

With Nevada already establishing a legal online gaming market, and with other states set to launch similar markets, Mr Galea’s appointment will certainly help establish New Jersey as a primary area for poker in the US and North America as a whole. His track record in Malta shows that he is highly capable of guiding New Jersey through setting the foundations for a flourishing online gaming industry.

While a deadline to open the online gaming market has been set for November 16, Mr Rebuck said that the market in New Jersey would likely be launched between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

New Look for Phil Ivey at WSOP?

Charles Rettmuller — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:45:29 +0000

As the world's best all-around poker player, everything that Phil Ivey does is closely watched by the poker community.

Whether its starting a new training site to teach the world to play better poker, winning millions playing Punto Banco while in the company of a mysterious Asian young lady only to be accused of cheating by Crockfords Casino, or winning yet another WSOP bracelet, poker players want to know about it.

So it comes as no surprise that a recent tweet by Ivey in which he contemplates growing a beard for the upcoming 44th annual WSOP at the Rio in Las Vegas also has poker players talking. The typically clean-shaven 37-year-old would certainly draw even more attention to himself while attempting to pick up some ground on Phil Hellmuth in the WSOP bracelet chase.

Take a look at the photo accompanying this article compliments of Jeff Lange. What do you think? Is that a good look for Ivey?

Player Withdrawal Troubles as PokerXE Shuts Down

Craig Fulton — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:53:55 +0000

PokerXE.com, a white label poker site offered by Pivgame Ltd for poker affiliate Donkr.com, has closed its doors. A message addressing players on PokerXE.com, states:

“With effect of today, your account has been moved from PokerXe to www.targetpoker.eu, and you will be able to login and access your account using the same username and password as you had on PokerXe. For more information go to www.pivgame.com”

However, reports indicate that players are experiencing withdrawal and communications issues. One PokerXE player has consistently attempted to withdraw his thirty thousand euro bank roll since January.

Although funds were promised soon, never has this materialised and for his troubles he was blocked as a contact on a chat client and e-mails have went unanswered. Now he is greeted with the same wall of silence since the recent switch to TargetPoker, another operation of Pivgame Ltd.

Pivgame Ltd, a company licensed for remote gaming in Malta, are and always have been responsible for funds on PokerXE, as required by the Lotteries and Gaming authority (LGA).

Withdrawal issues are a concern considering the other operations under Pivgame Ltd such as their multi-platform solution, Pokerinvenice.com. The lack of communication simply escalates these concerns.

Pivgame Ltd were not available for comment.

Rheem leads WPT World Championship Final Table

Bruno de Paiva — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:45:33 +0000

The final table at the six-handed 2013 World Poker Tour World Championship at Las Vega’s Bellagio has been set.

Chino Rheem will have a commanding chip lead going into the last day of play, with 5,495,000 chips to his name. With a little over two million chips less, WSOP Gold Bracelet holder Erick Lindgren will go in with the second highest stack, with 3,355,000 chips.

The fifth day of the tournament was expectedly short as just eight players battled it out for the final six spots in the tournament. After around two hours of play on Day 5, Italian player Rocco Palumbo and poker great Daniel Negreanu were eliminated and the final table was formally established.

Negreanu was the last of the two knocked out on Day 5, moving all in on the Ten of Hearts, Eight of Spades and Five of Hearts flop after hitting top pair with his Ace Ten. However, he would fall victim to Lindgren, who called with Pocket Jacks.

The Eight of Hearts on the turn did not favour Negreanu, especially as he did not have any hearts. The Seven of Diamonds on the river was also not helpful to the first ever WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event winner and he was sent packing as the bubble boy of the Championship.

Joining Rheem and Lindgren at the final table will be Matt Hyman, WPT Montreal Main Event winner Jonathan Roy, David Peters and Brandon Steven. While all the remaining players have a realistic chance of capturing the spot, Rheem’s lead will undoubtedly make him the favourite going into the final day of play.

Rheem is no stranger to the poker table, having won the $20,000 6-Max No Limit tournament at the inaugural Epic Poker League in 2011, where he earned a cool $1 million. The 33-year-old Los Angeles native also made it to the final table of the 2008 WSOP Main Event, coming in seventh place and earning an impressive $ 1,772,650.

He has also had stellar performances in smaller events in this year’s WPT Championship event, taking second place in two No Limit events earlier this month. Rheem also came fourth in another $1,000 WPT No Limit event two weeks ago, where he was edged out by current rival Lundgren, who came third.

Rheem will be hoping to turn the tables this time around and beat Lundgren, as well as the rest of the final table, when the 2013 World Poker Tour World Championship resumes later today at the Bellagio.

The winner of the Championship will earn $1,150,297 for their excellent efforts while second place will get $650,275. The first player to be knocked out of the final table stands to earn $173,993.

Caesars to Launch Nevada Online Poker Service

Bruno de Paiva — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:37:15 +0000

Caesars Entertainment Group has announced intentions to launch its own online poker service in the US state of Nevada.

The owners of the world renowned World Series of Poker (WSOP) outlined its aims to advertise the upcoming launch at the WSOP event in Las Vegas when it starts next Wednesday. A spokesman for Caesars said that when launched, the online poker service will be run under the WSOP name.

Given the eminent name of the WSOP in the poker world, the move to release it under its banner will likely make the service an instant hit among online poker players. This will grow on the WSOP services Caesars already operates in the UK, France and Italy, which are run using software services by 888 Holdings.

Caesars’ Vice President of Corporate Communications Seth Palansky said staff were working tooth and nail to ensure a service would be released before the end of the US summer. “The reality for us is, when we have it right and have all the appropriate signoffs, we’ll be ready to go … It won’t be too much longer,” he said.

“We’re hard at work completing the necessary steps as required to bring it to market. We can’t confirm an exact launch date, but we know it will be this summer.”

Caesars received an online poker licence in the state of Nevada in December 2012. Like Ultimatepoker.com, which recently became to first legal online poker service in the US to go live, Caesars' online poker service will only allow real money poker play from players within Nevada.

However, with other states, including Delaware and New Jersey, appearing to take a more liberal approach to online poker, it may be just be Caesars first move in the establishment of a US-wide online poker service.

Ultimate Gaming (UltimatePoker’s parent company) Chief Executive Tobin Prior said that his company is anticipating launches of more Nevada online poker services by Caesars and other companies.

"It's going to become very competitive in a short space of time. There will be more offerings in the market place,” he said. “History from what we understand is that people play at more than one site and have more than one account.”

A number of other companies, such as MGM and South Point Poker, have also been assessing the feasibilities of launching online poker services in Nevada since UltimatePoker’s launch.

The Future of Bitcoins in Online Poker

Charles Rettmuller — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:21:28 +0000

With Bitcoins being used as a currency at a few online poker sites and being considered still by others, the recent seizure of accounts at the world's largest Bitcoin exchange by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is closely being watched by the poker community.

Many are wondering if the shutdown of the Tokyo-based Mt. Gox will be the death knell of the 4-year-old Bitcoin in online poker. The digital currency is currently used by U.S.-friendly Seals With Clubs and mobile operator Switch Poker. Another site expected to launch this summer, Infiniti Poker, also plans to employ the use of Bitcoin currency for players in the U.S., while providing additional options for rest-of-world customers.

In light of the attack on Mt. Gox by the feds, it certainly doesn't look promising for Bitcoin usage for online poker sites that cater to the U.S. market at the present time. However, the DHS prefers not to use the word "attack." It is attempting to enforce registration of Bitcoins in an effort to control the digital currency.

I would imagine that it would be hard for U.S. players to embrace using Bitcoins as a currency if they have not already done so. The whole idea surrounding the regulations currently underway in various states such as Nevada and New Jersey is to protect players and their funds. With the DHS moving in, those funds in the form of Bitcoins certainly don't look very safe.

The use of Bitcoins, which is not regulated by any governments, may scare many U.S. players away, at least right now. Especially the ones who are still waiting for reimbursements from Full Tilt, or those who played at Absolute Poker and UltimateBet. The latter will likely never see another dime. Those players won't be all that eager to transact in a currency that the government is attempting to get its paws on. While there is, of course, no connection between a Bitcoin exchange and the Black Friday debacle, there are still millions of U.S. players who feel burned and lack confidence in using a non-regulated currency.

But just because Bitcoins are being targeted by the U.S. doesn't mean that players in other countries won't be able to use the online currency as an option for transacting funds at online poker sites. Governments of other countries do not seem as intent as the U.S. in grabbing some sort of control of the Bitcoin market. In fact, countries such as Canada seem to have embraced a hands-off policy regarding the digital currency.

The fact that Mt. Gox is seen as an "unlicensed money service business" by U.S. authorities does not extend to Canada. A number of Bitcoin exchanges north of the U.S. border received letters from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) that put the exchange operators' minds at ease by informing them of being exempt from any money-laundering laws, the Register reported.

The letter to the Canada exchanges said that "the transfer of funds is simply a corollary of your actual service of buying and selling virtual currency. Therefore, you do not have to register your entity with us."

Should the U.S. pass some sort of Bitcoin legislation, American investors may find themselves trading in Canada or other countries to avoid the U.S. regulations. That's eerie similar to what many online poker players have done following Black Friday -- relocated elsewhere. Again, there is no corolation to the April 15, 2011 shutdowns and Bitcoin trading. I'm merely making an observation.

The U.S. is very intent on stamping out money laundering and believes that unregulated Bitcoin trading is a prime way for criminals to move illicit funds. The feds liken digital currency trading with financial operations such as Western Union, who are required to report transactions greater than $10,000 in order to stop money laundering.

So the question remains, is there a future for Bitcoins in the world of online poker? That seemingly depends on who you talk to. Obviously, recent events at Mt. Gox do not bode well for expansion of Bitcoin usage in the U.S. online poker market at this moment. But that doesn't necessarily mean that other parts of the world might not someday embrace Bitcoins in online poker.

But let's forget about poker for a moment and contemplate whether Bitcoin trading itself will see a long future. Mike Caldwell, who created Casascius Coins, recently told theverge.com that Bitcoins will survive any future cyber attacks and continue to proliferate unless people lose interest. He stated that Bitcoin is the "embodiment of the idea that we now have the technology to democratize money." As long as the demand is there, Bitcoin will survive unless something else comes along "that does a better job," Caldwell added.

That sentiment was not echoed by Jack Alderson, an entrepreneur who claims that "Bitcoin is already dead." Alderson made a good deal of money in Bitcoin trading, but is now defending some lawsuits related to those profits.

Let's remember that Bitcoin has already survived huge cyber attacks, various technical glitches, and severe price fluctuations that made even the calmest traders succumb to panic attacks. After the media began earnestly reporting on Bitcoin about two years ago, the value of Bitcoins jumped to over $30, only to bottom out under $2 four months after. In recent months, the currency skyrocketed to over $200 (making many millionaires in the process), and now rests around $120.

Indeed, everyone seems to have a differing opinion on Bitcoin's prospects of longevity. Whether or not the digital currency does survive remains unanswered. But the most positive remark seemed to come from trader Marak Squires, who attended the Bitcoin 2013 convention in San Jose along with more than 1,000 other Bitcoin devotees.

Of the future of Bitcoin, Marak said, "It only dies if you turn off the Internet."

Bonnier to Acquire Redbet Gaming

Craig Fulton — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:48:29 +0000

Nordic Leisure, operating within the gaming sector, has gave Bonnier the green light to acquire Redbet Gaming, subject to approval from the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA).

The sale of Redbet Gaming is part of the Group's strategy to focus on Eastern European markets, where the Group's operational headquarters is located in Riga, Latvia.

Swedish media giant Bonnier will take control of various Redbet Gaming brands including: Redbet, TotalPoker, HeyPoker and Whitebet.

Graham Wins New Orleans Main Event

Bruno de Paiva — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:11:40 +0000

Luke Graham has bested a field of 762 players to take out the 2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Main Event.

It was a happy ending for the Florida player, who entered the final table with the second lowest chip stack of the remaining players. Graham was patient and at the top of his game on the last day, however, and after knocking out Dan Schmiech in sixth place, he boosted his stack from 1.5 million chips to a little less than 2.8 million.

Daniel Weinman was highly anticipated to win the tournament when the final table began, however. Weinman was the chip leader at the start of the table, and almost instantly cemented that lead when he eliminated Pavan Bhatia in ninth place. He also eliminated Rogen Chhabra in fifth place, but was himself knocked out in fourth spot three hours later after being beaten by Joseph Hebert’s Ace Queen.

Hebert and Graham would face each other in heads-up play after Kasra Khodayarkhani was knocked out by Graham in third place. After initially having relatively even chip stacks, Hebert suffered a massive loss of chips after Graham called a bluff from the eventual runner-up.

Raises, re-raises and calls were made throughout a board which had Two of Spades, Eight of Diamonds, Three of Clubs, Three of Spades and Three of Hearts. Hebert, who had a starting hand of Seven Ten of Hearts, moved all in after the river in an attempt to capture the pot.

Graham, who had a full house with Eight King, had other ideas.

After spending some time contemplating what his move should be, Graham called Hebert’s bluff and put him down to 500,000 chips. It was a risky move, but one that paid off for Graham as he put himself in prime position to take first place.

In the next hand, Hebert, possibly conceding defeat, moved all in with a Six Ten off suit, which Graham called with Ace Eight off suit. The Eight of Diamonds, Nine of Clubs and Eight of Clubs flop all but sealed the deal for Graham, giving him three of kind. The Ace of Hearts of the turn confirmed Graham’s tournament win after it gave him a Full House while Hebert was yet to hit the board.

With the Two of Spades being shown on the river, the tournament was officially over with Luke Graham as its victor, taking home $228,600 for his stellar play.

The win was Graham’s second first place finish in less than a month. He also took out a $1,060 No Limit event at last month’s WPT Bestbet Open/Spring Series in Jacksonville Florida, winning $34,960 for that effort.

888poker Renews PGA EuroPro Tour Golf Sponsorship

Khurram Aziz — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:59:25 +0000

European golfing tour PGA EuroPro Tour has announced that it will be sponsored by the gambling site 888.com’s poker brand, 888poker, in 2013.

The sponsorship renews 888poker’s 2012 association with the golf tour, extending the poker site’s tenure as the main title sponsor.

In a press release, PGA EuroPro Tour said the tie-up between the two will see new promotions and events added to this year's sponsorship in the hopes of bringing together fans and players of the tour.

Barry Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Sport, which promotes the PGA EuroPro Tour, welcomed the ongoing partnership.

“I am absolutely delighted that 888poker will be the title sponsor of the PGA EuroPro Tour once again in 2013,” he said. “We enjoyed a fruitful relationship with 888poker in 2012 and are thrilled that they want to be a part of the PGA EuroPro Tour once again this summer. 888poker is an extremely professional, forward thinking and highly successful company who have an established name and brand that is great for the Tour to be linked with. The Tour is stronger than ever this year and I am really looking forward to what should be a great year as the Tour and 888poker continue to build on the strong relationship built in 2012.”

Founded in 2001, the EuroPro Tour has established itself as Europe’s leading developmental golf tour with the top five in the Order of Merit at the end of each season advancing to the Challenge Tour. In 2012, winner Paul Maddy collected £32,000 winnings playing in the tour, which has featured Ryder Cup winners Nicolas Colsaerts and Ross Fisher in previous years, as well 2010 Open winner Louis Oosthuizen and 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel.

Other notable golfers including Scott Jamieson, Thomas Aiken and Jamie Donaldson, who have all won European Tour events in 2013, have also played on the PGA EuroPro Tour in previous years.

888.com Senior Vice President Itai Pazner said, “Last year’s tour was a great success for our poker brand and offered our online player’s access to the prestigious PGA Tour. We hope this year our new integrations will take the partnership to the next level.”

888poker.com claims to be one of the biggest online poker sites in the world with over five million registered users.

Pokerstars Releases Mini Documentary About Shane “Shaniac” Schleger

Firat Dural — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:23:33 +0000

Pokerstars Team uploaded a new video on PokerTube about Shane "Shaniac" Schleger and his roller coaster journey as a professional poker player. Shaniac has overcome many challenges in his life as a professional poker player, and this short film captures the ups as well as the downs.

The mini documentary by Pokerstars Team focuses on Shane´s journey from 2004 when he was a waiter at a Brooklyn restaurant to now, living by the Mexican seaside and playing online poker tournaments all day. During this period, Shaniac had wonderful successes, but also challenging and difficult times.

This film captures some of those moments, and shows him wrestling with these hurdles. "It's not the typical story of triumph in poker, but it represents my relationship with the game in an accurate way, and it also represents some of the realities that I continue to face, I can feel comfortable knowing that it's a real representation of that story.” said Shaniac.

That´s why he thinks that the documentary mainly reflects the bad times he had; “The film focuses on some of the more painful, struggle-filled chapters of my history and ignores the happier, more carefree things I get to enjoy,” said Shaniac in the press release from Pokerstars. “It definitely encapsulates the arc of my poker life in an accurate and comprehensive way: coming up into the poker life after being a lost 20-something New Yorker, succeeding in poker, struggling in poker, and the eventual need to leave my country to continue playing poker.”

Shaniac didn´t give up, worked very hard and overcame his downswing and managed to return to top-flight competition. Shaniac’s story sounds very familiar to most us: the tough times as well as the victories. We all love Poker because it is a fun and competitive game, and Shaniac’s life is a demonstration that a strong competitive spirit is essential to succeed at this game.

You can watch the video below.

Shane J. Schleger was born 1977 in New York City, New York. He started playing poker online in 2004 while he was a waiter in a Brooklyn restaurant. He is now known for online poker tournament success under the name Shaniac; he has made two World Series of Poker final tables as well as a World Poker Tour final table. In February 2011, Schleger became a member of Team PokerStars Online. On April 15, 2011, a day dubbed Black Friday by online poker players, the Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against the three biggest poker sites, including PokerStars. Schleger was forced to resume his game outside of the United States and now plays from a base in Mexico.

Ladbrokes to Cut 100 Jobs

Bruno de Paiva — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:08:44 +0000

Gaming company Ladbrokes has announced that around 100 jobs are set to be cut at the company in the coming months.

It follows a new direction for aspects of the business, with the recent launch of Ladbrokes Israel and the transfer of many key roles to the Tel Aviv-based office. The cuts are set to affect those working at Ladbrokes’ head office in London, which will bear the brunt of the company’s move to Israel. Respresentatives of the company have said that some major roles will be moved from London to Tel Aviv “in order to maximise [the] potential” of the new office.

In a statement released by Ladbrokes, the company said the cuts are necessary as part of its shifting focus and goals in the gaming industry. “As a result of this and the company’s ongoing commitment to maximising efficiency, a number of Ladbrokes employees have been placed at risk of redundancy and a 90-day consultation period has begun,” the statement said.

“Ladbrokes envisages that around 100 roles will be affected at the conclusion of the process and appropriate advice and support will be provided to all those affected.”

It is currently believed that staff in Ladbrokes’ gaming team, marketing and support divisions will be among those most affected by the proposed cuts. The cuts would also mean that around 10 per cent of staff in its office in Rayner’s Lane, London.

The proposed cuts are the latest move in what have been a series of major reforms in Ladbrokes’ business operations. Ladbrokes Israel was launched at the start of this month following a long-term licensing agreement with software development company Playtech.

Ladbrokes also recently announced that it had taken on Jim Mullen as the director of its digital operations effective from November. Mullen was previously the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Ladbrokes’ chief UK rival, William Hill. In another major change at Ladbrokes, Customer Experience Director Stephen Vowles announced his resignation from the post after completing a re-structure of Ladbrokes’ marketing functions.

In April, Ladbrokes announced that first quarter profits for the company fell by 25.8 per cent, and said its full year profits were likely to be towards the bottom of the existing market range.

BetVictor Takes Over Dart Sponsorship

Charles Rettmuller — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:51:19 +0000

BetVictor has announced a sponsorship agreement with the World Matchplay Darts championship that commences on July 20 in Blackpool.

Betfair had sponsored the event the past two years, but chose not to lend its name to this year's championship. Betfair will instead sponsor the World Snooker Championships.

Prior to Betfair, SkyBet sponsored the world darts competition in 2010. For an entire decade previous to 2010, Stan James headlined the sponsorship duties of the World Matchplay Darts championship.

"These are very exciting times in the world of darts and after a magnificent World Championship and Premier League, we are delighted to lend our name to the BetVictor World Matchplay from the iconic Winter Gardens Blackpool," BetVictor marketing director Karl Riley told eGR.

Annie Duke Releases Statement on UltimateBet Tapes

Khurram Aziz — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:23:05 +0000

Poker pro Annie Duke has released a statement, distancing herself from the infamous UltimateBet cheating scandal which saw the company steal more than $50 million from its customers.

The so-called “super-user” scandal was revealed more than five years ago, however, earlier in the month, an employee of the online poker site released secret tapes of UltimateBet founder Russ Hamilton which implicate the 2004 WSOP tournament winner, Duke.

However, in a statement posted on her Facebook page, Duke says she had used the super-user tool, or “God Mode”, on a few occasions, but only on a 15-minute delay and only as a co-commentator and not a player.

Travis Makar, Hamilton's former assistant, made public the three-hour audio tape of a 2008 meeting during which Hamilton admits the company’s employees used a tool to view poker players’ hole cards during games in order to cheat them out of millions.

The tapes also feature UltimateBet founder and CEO Greg Pierson, and attorneys Daniel Friedberg and Sanford Millar. The men discuss some of the victims of the scam, including high-profile pros Mike Matusow, Prahlad Friedman, Robert Williamson III, as well as actor and poker fan Ben Affleck.

During the discussions Hamilton mentions Phil Hellmuth and Duke, former endorsers and sponsored players for UltimateBet. Hamilton and his cohorts discuss keeping Hellmuth in the dark about the God Mode tool, but he mentions that Duke was aware of it and even used the software herself on a time delay.

The tapes surfaced several weeks ago and Duke has denied her involvement from the start. On Saturday she released a full statement on Facebook which said:

“Listening to the leaked audio that describes an elaborate attempt by some of UltimateBet.com’s founders, including Russ Hamilton and Greg Pierson, to cover up cheating reminds me once again how much I regret having been associated with the people that were involved in this conspiracy. The release of this audio has spurred accusations and I want to make it clear that I have never used a tool on a delay or otherwise that gave me or anyone else access to hole cards for use during real money play nor was I aware that such a tool existed until the scandal broke.”

Her statement goes on to say that she regrets how long it took for those who were cheated to receive their money back and that she never would have been involved with the company had she known what was going on.

“The data dump from Travis Makar and others also make it completely clear who the perpetrators of the UltimateBet.com cheating were, and that I was not involved in their scheme in any way,” she adds. “At one point Russ Hamilton mischaracterizes my legitimate role as a commentator as he tries to concoct a cover story for his scheme. I can only assume that he is referring to the several times that I commentated on tournaments in which a delayed broadcast was provided to the public, as this was the only delay that I was ever aware of.”

Duke said that she only provided commentary as the poker matches were played live and broadcast on a delay so as “to avoid affecting play”.

“The screen that I saw was captured and streamed onto the internet along with my commentary so anyone who tuned into the broadcast saw exactly the same screen that I saw. The broadcast delay was designed to protect the integrity of the game by making sure that the hands my co-commentators and I were commenting on would be finished BEFORE our commentary was broadcast on the internet.”

Her statement also includes paragraphs from co-commentator John Vorhaus and UltimateBet’s former Pro Relations Manager Joanne Priam. Vorhaus says:

“I worked alongside Annie Duke doing play-by-play and color commentary on UltimateBetonline poker tournaments during the mid-2000s. The use of a delay function during those broadcasts was for the express purpose of ensuring that our commentary didn't inadvertently give information to the tournament players and had no connection whatsoever with the so-called ‘super-user scandal’.”

Priam adds:

“Annie agreed to participate as a commentator only if we could ensure that there was enough of a small delay in the broadcast so that we could avoid any live commentating affecting players’ behavior in the event they were listening. After it was confirmed the delay was feasible she agreed to commentate. It is my understanding that during the tournament, Annie was isolated in a recording studio with only a screen in which to report on and that she did not have access to a computer in which to log on to UB, view hole cards or interact in any way with players.”

UltimateBet closed shortly after the scandal.

California Online Poker Bill No Sure Bet

Firat Dural — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:43:44 +0000

Efforts to license online poker continue in California but it remains to be seen if a law will emerge or if it will be “no deal,” the 2013 version. While the chairman of the Senate committee that oversees the gambling industry re-introduced 2012 legislation that would legalize online games earlier this year, a group of eight California Indian tribes released their own draft of a new bill to license and regulate online poker in California. Their version of the bill would qualify any existing licensed card room or tribal casino in California that has been in operation for at least five years prior for an online poker license.

The draft bill was created and written by leaders of eight tribes, including the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians near Temecula, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in the Coachella Valley, as well as members of a group called the California Tribal Business Alliance.

The eight tribes have invited other California tribes to provide their input “to continue to shape legislation that is pragmatic, achievable, and fair for tribes.” And they got a quick response. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near San Bernardino, and possibly others, have worked on a plan that could emerge as early as this week.

Only recently, California was expected to be the first state in the country to license intrastate poker and take advantage of a provision in the federal law that otherwise bans online gaming. However disagreements among the state’s gambling interests have repeatedly stymied the issue and allowed other states came forward; Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey have already legalized online poker and the first legal game debuted a few weeks ago in Nevada while many of the California residents already play on illegal sites based offshore in the Isle of Mann and elsewhere.

There are some main difference between The 51-page bill by state Sen. Rod Wright, D-Inglewood, who leads the Senate Governmental Organization Committee, and the draft bill of the 8 California Indian tribes. For example Sen. Wright´s bill requires a 30$ million license fee while the tribes´ bill require only 5$ million. Tribes´ bill issue licenses for 10 years is double the five years in the Wright bill.

In the past there had been other initiatives from other tribes like The Riverside-based California Online Poker Association included the San Manuel band and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning, as well as smaller tribes and some card clubs however they had disbanded pretty quickly.

They say that the latest tribal proposal is different because it emerged from talks involving tribal leaders. Consultants and lawyers were not in the room: “It is not unusual for tribal leaders to work together on issues of great importance — and let us be clear, this is an issue of great importance to us,” Said Leslie Loche, chairwoman of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, said in a statement Monday.

State Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, also has introduced a bill to legalize online poker however it seems like a temporary attempt at the moment. Despite the discussions and bills introduced so far, no hearings have been scheduled on it this year and the future of legal online poker still remains a mystery in California.

Bwin.party Revenues Fall in First Quarter

Bruno de Paiva — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:19:55 +0000

Revenues for bwin.party in the first three months of this year have fallen by 17 per cent year-on-year, and poker was partly responsible.

The Gibraltar headquartered company had €180.2 million of revenue in this year’s first quarter, down from €215.9 million for the same time last year. The world's largest publicly traded online gaming firm put the revenue fall down to increased regulation and its recent moves to shift its focus on areas that have regulated or are regulating online gaming.

Its poker operations, however, fell drastically in the first quarter and accounted for a fair chunk of the company’s revenue decrease. Sign ups of new players to the company’s online poker services fell as did cross-sell from the bwin.com site. This resulted in a 37 per cent decrease in first quarter revenues for poker, leading to a total €33.1 million of the company’s revenue that came from that area of bwin.party’s business.

It is an issue that has obviously affected the company, as seen by bwin.party deciding to alter its poker service, which it plans to launch later this year. The company said that the revised service is designed to “improve the revenue trajectory of [the] business”; showing that it still views poker as a core company component.

Bwin.party CEO Norbert Teufelberger said that while the declines were set to continue until the second half of the year due to the shifts, he was also upbeat about the company’s long term future and stability. Total revenue for bwin.party in 2013 is expected to fall by ten per cent in its full-year figures as it continues to restructure. The shift in focus to fewer areas, however, is set to save the company a total of €70 million over the entire year.

Teufelberger also said that a number of product launches by the company, along with the launch of poker and casino in New Jersey and cost-cutting initiatives were proof that it was not all doom and gloom for bwin.party. He also said its focus on ‘core regulated markets’ would allow the company to operate with a lower cost base which would help set the stage for future sustainable growth.

Revenues for bwin.party’s casino operations fell by 20 per cent to €57 million while sports betting fell by five per cent to €67 million. Revenues for its bingo operations fell by nine per cent to €14.2 million.

Hanks California State Poker Champion

Bruno de Paiva — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:48:27 +0000

As far as poker is concerned, Brent Hanks has shown himself to the Golden Boy of the Golden State after winning the 2013 California State Poker Championship.

The Las Vegas resident topped a field of 258 players and took $117,760 back to Nevada following his first place finish on the weekend, a welcome addition to the multitude of money payouts he has won throughout his poker career. It is his first major poker victory of 2013, however, but with the World Series Of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas just around the corner, the Californian State Poker win may be just the entrée to a fabulous year for Hanks.

While the Championship featured a number of poker notables like Mimi Tran, Jeff Madsen, Barry Greenstein and Eric Baldwin, none of those players managed to make it into the money. Hanks did remain, though, and his sizable chip lead made him the favourite to take out the tourney as soon as the final table came into place.

Hanks had 1.3 million chips at the start of the final table, nearly 450,000 more than Daniel Park, who wound up being eliminated in third place. The player who would pose a threat to him, however, was the final table’s short stack, fellow WSOP Gold Bracelet winner Gavin Griffin.

Griffin had just 163,000 when the final table began, and it looked like he would last no time at all. He proved any critics wrong after having a great run, chipping himself up along the way. Griffin further improved his chip stack by knocking out three players in the tournament’s later stages – Dong Tao in fifth place, David Malka in fourth place and Daniel Park in third.

The southern California native had gathered masses of momentum going into heads-up play, and it appeared that Hanks dominance was under great threat. However, it also appeared that Hanks was destined to win the Championship as he stopped Griffin’s excellent run of play to win take first place.

Griffin moved all-in with Ace Six offsuit in what would be the final hand of the tournament. Hanks, who had Ace Nine off suit, called and he remained in front after the flop of Seven of Hearts, Seven of Spades and Four of Spades was shown. The Nine of Diamonds on the turn all but sealed the Championship for Hanks, giving him a two pair with the two Sevens on the board. The river brought the Ace of Clubs, which confirmed the victory for Hanks.

The victory comes nearly a year after Hanks won his first, and currently only, WSOP Gold Bracelet after he won the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event. Hanks had his largest ever poker cash win at that event, winning $517,725.

Empire and Intech Announce Agreement

Bruno de Paiva — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:26:02 +0000

It has been announced that US company Empire Global Gaming has collaborated with fellow American company Intech Creative LLC to add an online gaming service to its business.

The move follows the expansion of the online poker industry in the state of Nevada – where Empire Global Gaming is incorporated – and the regulation of online gaming in a number of other US states. Other states, such as California, Illinois and Pennsylvania, currently have bills in their legislature that, if passed, would legally permit online gaming in their respective jurisdictions.

This makes the legal online gaming market in the US as attractive as ever, which is something shown by Empire and Intech’s collaboration. As a result of the regulation of online gaming, there is certainly major potential for gaming, especially poker, to once again rise in popularity in the US. Figuratively speaking, this has created a pie that Empire Global Gaming and Intech Creative would both like a piece of.

Headquartered in New York, Empire Global Gaming currently provides custom game manufacturing, supplies, gaming solutions and custom game marketing as the core aspect of their business. The company also has exclusive licenses for proprietary Class II and Class III grade table games and offers consulting and advisory services to businesses in the gaming industry.

By being a recognised business in the US casino and gaming industry, Empire’s planned expansion into online gaming may be successful for the company. Empire Global Gaming Founder and President Nicholas Sorge Jr. said incorporating on online gaming service into the company was highly significant. “It is our mission to stay on the cutting edge of this technology driven Industry and the enhancement of our website is the first step in doing so,” he said.

Also based in New York, but organised in Delaware with offices in India and Argentina, Intech Creative LLC partakes in the development of mobile apps, websites, custom programming and cloud solutions for companies over a large spectrum of industries.

If its venture with Empire Global Gaming is successful in producing a solid online gaming service, it could provide further opportunities for Intech Creative LLC to expand into what looks to be a rapidly growing industry. This was recognised by Intech's CEO Bruce Dugan, who expressed his delight at the opportunity to collaborate with Empire on creating an online gaming service.

A date for the launch of an Empire/Intech online gaming service has not yet been set.

NJ Court Cancels Sale of Atlantic Club to PokerStars

Wootae Min — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:13:35 +0000

An Atlantic County Superior Court judge has overturned the injunction that allowed PokerStars to resume its purchase of the Atlantic Club Casino in New Jersey.

Atlantic Club owners, Colony Capital LLC, successfully appealed a ruling from an Atlantic County judge that upheld the purchase agreement made in December. The judge ruled that the deal included a specific provision that allowed the casino owners to terminate the agreement before a certain date. The successful appeal will allow the investment firm to entertain offers for the historic casino and entrance into the New Jersey online gambling market.

The Atlantic Club – PokerStars deal has been a controversial deal since its inception in December of 2012. PokerStars and Colony Capital LLC agreed to a purchase agreement that would provide exclusive negotiation rights with the investment firm in exchange for a $15 million investment to the struggling casino. The Atlantic Club had been struggling to maintain operations and had nearly $30 million in unpaid pension liabilities.

The controversy of this purchase agreement increased as the American Gambling Association lobbied to terminate the contract given PokerStars’ unlawful past. Although PokerStars had admitted no wrongdoing in its case with the Department of Justice, gambling lobbyists and casinos have decried its operation in the United States in face of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

The purchase agreement eventually expired on April 30^th and allowed Colony Capital LLC to pursue other buyers despite the $11 million investment from Stars. Furthermore, the investment firm announced that it demanded the remaining $4 million investment that was included in the original purchase agreement.

These actions led PokerStars to file a restraining order on Colony Capital LLC to prevent other buyers from making bids on the casino. The Rational Group claimed that Colony Capital terminated the agreement in order to sell it for a higher price following gambling legislation in February. Furthermore, it claimed that the investment group took the $11 million investment to look more attractive to other buyers. An Atlantic County judge ruled in favor of this injunction and it remained until the successful appeal from the Colony Group.

Rational Group representatives have stated that the company plans to review the details of the lawsuit and to continue its fight to enter the New Jersey market. Despite these strong claims, PokerStars has taken a major setback in its bid to enter the United States market. New Jersey provides the perfect platform for this entrance given a lack of a bad actor clause and potential jurisdiction compacts in its legislation. PokerStars also plans to explore the option of making a stronger bid for the casino, although this route would be an unlikely way to enter the New Jersey online gambling market.

Infiniti Poker Delays Launch

Charles Rettmuller — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:29:55 +0000

Infiniti Poker, a new U.S.-friendly poker site that had projected a launch date of some time this spring, has postponed its roll out until the summer months.

"We are very pleased to update to all of our members that the final phase of our development is now in full swing and we thank all of you who continue to participate in our public beta test program," said an Infiniti Poker press release. "Your feedback continues to be very helpful and in the end will ensure the resounding success of Infiniti Poker's upcoming launch which is now slated for July-August of 2013. "

Upon officially launching, the innovative site plans to allow U.S. players to use Bitcoin digital currency in order to participate with rest-of-world players who will be afforded additional deposit options. Bitcoins are currently used as a payment processing function on only a few sites, most notably mobile operator Switch Poker and the U.S.-facing Seals With Clubs. But other more well-known poker rooms are reportedly considering adding Bitcoin to their online cashier cages.

Infiniti also has its sights on revolutionizing the poker webcam experience. While rooms such as 888 and Pokerview have toyed with the inclusion of a social and live element to online play via webcams, Infiniti Poker will be the first to introduce “Peripheral Resolution Interface.” Not yet available during the testing phase, PRI will seemingly allow players to view the action similar to the way its done at a live table. A player's main focus will be directed at the player of his or her choice, but a peripheral vision will also allow a view of players sitting on either side.

As explained on the Infiniti Poker Facebook page, "The Peripheral Resolution Interface (PRI) will allow you to change your POV of the table from Overhead Camera View to a virtual table setting." In order to focus on a particular player, simply click a '3D View' button to do so.

A select number of tables will have the webcam availability, which Infiniti is referring to as "Infinivision." Many posters at online poker forums have criticized webcam usage at previous poker rooms as being lame. Though attempts have been made to foster a more social "live table" atmosphere, the result has often been far from the intended goal. Time will tell if Infinivision's PRI concept will add to the online poker playing experience.

Infiniti Poker has lined up several pros in advance of its launch. Edwardo "Swag" Jackson, Jason Stern and Gavin Smith are all part of Team Infiniti, with Smith chosen for the role of team captain.

Poker Game Ends in Face Stabbing

Khurram Aziz — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:47:27 +0000

According to reports, 35-year-old Lewis Maxwell and his cousin, 42-year-old Stephen Steward, got into an argument over Maxwell’s 14-year-old son, after the youth won $600 during the game.

The game was eventually abandoned as tensions escalated between the players, but not before Steward had asked Maxwell and his wife for a ride home.

As the three were driving, Steward became aggressive and punched Maxwell’s wife. Maxwell then pulled into a petrol station where all parties exited the vehicle. That was followed by a physical fight where Steward kicked and punched Maxwell who also suffered a head injury.

Maxwell then took out a knife during the fight and stabbed Steward in the face and abdomen before getting back into the vehicle with his wife returning to their home.

Steward was eventually transported to the Univeristy of New Mexico Hospital where he is still listed in serious condition. Maxwell was transported with nonlife-threatening injuries and was later released only to appear before a judge on Sunday, who raised his bail bond to $25,000 and sent him back into custody.

“The allegations based on the complaint are serious enough that I think a higher bond is required,” a judge told Maxwell during a hearing. “You are not going to talk about this case.”

Maxwell is to be charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily harm and tampering with evidence while Steward will also be charged with battery.

Poker Stars Join Tiger Woods at $10,000 Buy-in Poker Tournament in Las Vegas

Khurram Aziz — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:20:19 +0000

Poker stars were out in force this weekend at Tiger Woods’ two-day 50-player charity poker tournament held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The tournament, a $10,000 buy-in event, was filmed for a future World Poker Tour television episode and was part of the Tiger Jam weekend in support of the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Thirty seven year old Woods was joined by the poker brat Phil Hellmuth, and poker Hall of Fame members Doyle Brunson and Mike Sexton in the competition. A round of golf with Woods himself was up for grabs along side autographed memorabilia.

Celebrities taking part in the event included Shark Tank star Mark Cuban, Los Angeles Clippers star player Chris Paul, rocker Kid Rock and actor Mekhi Phifer of ER fame.

Woods himself went out early to an amateur but stayed around to watch the rest of the tournament.

For the media, however, it was a night to preview Woods’ now official girlfriend, Lindsey Vonn, who was first seen with the golf prodigy earlier in the month at the Met Gala.

“Wearing a sexy blue dress during the poker tournament, Vonn was thrilled to be part of the weekend, and took along her sister, Karin Kildow for the festivities,” said USWeekly.

In an interview with BLUFF Magazine before the event, Woods said he was more likely to play “ping pong” than poker on tour but said that skills such as “focus, drive to win and knowing when to quit” were characteristics useful in both games.

Bermuda Government Silent on Gaming Says Opposition Leader

Bruno de Paiva — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:00:07 +0000

Bermuda’s opposition leader has put that territory’s Premier to task over what he sees as the lack of progress in regulating gaming on the island.

Marc Bean put his views forward on the territory’s Bernews outlet, saying the Government has made no movement on gaming regulation five months into its term. Mr Bean, whose Progressive Labour Party (PLP) supports a public referendum on the issue, said it was crucial that a referendum on gaming be held in Bermuda sooner rather than later.

“Gaming will represent a tremendous shift in our tourism business model and brings with it numerous challenges and opportunities,” he said. “The PLP supports a referendum, the machinery is in place to have a referendum, the premier said the money is in the budget for a referendum, and the Gaming Referenda Act has already been written.”

Bermuda’s Premier Craig Cannonier responded to Mr Bean’s critique by reiterating his Government’s commitment for a referendum on gaming to be held, but that further work needed to be done. Mr Cannonier said that a framework for a gaming industry in the British Overseas territory was a significant issue that the Government was continuing to look at.

“I don’t want to put an exact date on (the referendum), because again this is a collaborative effort we need to be talking to PLP, and sometimes that can lengthen out the process,” he said. “But again it is our endeavour to bring it before the House this session… We believe it needs to go to referendum.”

A study done by the US-based Innovation Group undertaken under the previous Government of Bermuda stated that gaming regulation could create up to 3,000 jobs and up to $146 million a year to Bermuda’s economy. This could possibly help the island territory curb its gradually rising unemployment rate which, according to the BBC, currently exceeds eight per cent, a three and a half per cent increase in four years. The $146 million would also be a significant injection into a territory of roughly 64,700 inhabitants.

The potential economic benefits of gaming regulation in Bermuda were also cited by Mr Bean in his calls to hold a public referendum. “We have the Breakaway that has just arrived in Bermuda with 3,500 people, combined with 1,500 – 2,000 passengers on another cruise ship,” he said. “With 5,000 people visiting Bermuda, what is it truly there for them to do? Gaming has been identified as one of the amenities which can be provided to our guests.”

If the results of the Innovation Group study are correct, the regulation of gaming in Bermuda would also fulfil one of the Premier’s major election promises in one hit. Mr Cannonier pledged that his Government would help create 2,000 new jobs on the island during the course of the new parliament.

Some members of Bermuda’s religious community, however, do not wish for those jobs to be created by a gaming industry. A number of religious groups have joined forces the ‘United to Change’ group, which opposes any regulation of gaming in the territory.

Deevara Current Chip Leader in Harrah’s New Orleans Main Event

Bruno de Paiva — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:04:00 +0000

The starting flights of the World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Main Event are now over and Rahul Deevara will have the chip lead going into Day 2 of the event.

Deevara will be one of 125 players playing it out for first place on the second day. With $228,600 and a seat into the National Championship going to the top spot in the tournament, competition is set to heat up in the coming days. 51 players from the first starting flight made the cut to Day 2, while 74 players from Day 1b advanced.

With 466,000 to his name, Deevara has established himself as the early favourite to take out the Main Event. Daniel Weinman is hot on his heels, however, with a chip stack of 373,000 coming into Day 2. Day 1a chip leader Ben Mintz is currently equal third on the chip ladder, along with Claudia Crawford, with 313,000 chips. Both Mintz and Crawford are also in easy reach of Deevara as the second day of play begins.

Deevara will be battling tooth and nail to keep his chip lead, however, as he hopes to win his first professional poker event. Deevara had played a number of small poker tournaments, most of them in the southeastern part of the US. The top prize of $228,600 for this tournament would eclipse Deevara’s biggest poker cash prize, which is currently $8,523.

The win would also be roughly ten times his total cash prize wins as listed on the Hendon Mob poker database. This will surely be enough motivation for the Atlanta native to continue his solid poker play into the coming days of the Main Event.

Day 1b of the event was notable for the participation of "Boston" Rob Mariano, who starred in four seasons of the reality TV show Survivor, as well as two seasons of The Amazing Race. He also had his own reality show called Rob and Amber: Against the Odds, which followed his attempts to become a professional poker player and featured Daniel Negreanu.

Mariano, who won $1 million in one Survivor season he starred in, was unable to replicate his reality show success onto the poker table as he was knocked out during the starting flight.

Day 2 of the three-day World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Main Event is set to begin at the crescent city’s Harrah's Hotel and Casino.

FBI Tapes Give Glimpse into the World of Illegal High Stakes Gambling in New York

Firat Dural — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:42:37 +0000

On Tuesday April 16, nearly three dozen people were charged in what investigators said was a Russian organized crime operation that included illegal, high-stakes poker games for the rich and famous and threats of violence to make sure customers paid their debts. FBI tapes reveal more information about the crackdown on illegal high stakes gambling ring in New York.

According to official court papers, FBI had an active surveillance on what federal authorities have described as two related multimillion-dollar money-laundering and gambling rings. According to the assistant United States attorney Harris Fischman, who is prosecuting the case, nine cellphone were tapped and as many as 25,000 calls were recorded by investigators. Calls were mostly in English but a few in Russian. Investigators also searches emails, houses and businesses, seizing computers and gathering bank records from 300 different bank accounts, producing thousands of pages of evidence.

Surveillance shows that illegal high stakes poker games were run out-of-sight settings like a suite at the Plaza Hotel or an apartment in skyscraper on Fifth Avenue. Top quality food and drinks were always available, as well as masseuses to help relieve the tension. With one pink chip worth $25,000, sometimes there was as much as $2 million on the table to be lost or won. Games were frequented by celebrities like Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

At one game, in an apartment Trump tower on Fifth Avenue, as the poker game continued, the Russian organizers suspected that a new player did fit in, although he had arrived with a regular. Two of them were kindly asked to leave. Apparently the Russians had a good hunch: The new player was an undercover F.B.I. agent.

Meanwhile the same Russian organizes were also busy with taking enormous bets on both college and professional sports. One man was heard betting 300.000$ on Super Bowl last year, and losing. Another punter placed a $1 million wager on another sporting event.

Many details of the poker games and the wagers were found in hundreds of conversations and text messages secretly captured by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, exposing the shadowy and illegal world of high-stakes gambling in New York City. All the information led investigators come to the conclusion that there are two related multimillion-dollar money-laundering and gambling rings.

One of these rings were run by a very powerful art dealer family in New York who owns one of the largest collections of Impressionist and Modernist works in the world. This family is based in New York and Los Angeles and mostly served hedge fund managers, real estate magnates, A-list celebrities and famous athletes.

34 year old son of this New York family of enormous power in art world Hillel Nahmad, or Helly as called by his friends, was released on bail on 16 of April. He is charged with racketeering, gambling and money laundering.

The other illegal gambling ring mostly served to wealthy all over the world and was led by a Russian organized crime figure.

The course of the investigation is detailed in hundreds of pages of wiretap and search-warrant affidavits which contain several suspicious conversations and transactions. In one conversation, Helly a woman to wire $150,000 to the bank account of his father, who is not charged, and advises her to lie about the reason of the wire: “You just be like, Oh yeah, I bought a, you know, Picasso drawing or something.” He says to the woman. There are also pages of recordings of Mr. Nahmad taking bets over his cellphone.

On the Russian side of the gambling ring, a father Vadim Trincher, and his two sons, Illya and Eugene seem to have the leading role. One time Eugene picked up approximately $500,000 in cash from someone associated with an online gambling Web site, and then brought it home, saying to his dad: “Dad, give it to Mom for a couple of days so she’ll give it to somebody else.”

One other time, a bettor called “Tabor” won $600,000 from the illegal gambling ring betting on the New York Giants won the Super Bowl in 2012. However moving such an amount of money without drawing attention from authorities was a problem for Nahmad-Trincher organization. According to the records, Helly Nahmad received the wire information from “Tabor” and sent it to Illya Trincher on March 1 and the wire went through as planned. In April, Tabor felt that the money can be traced and planned to send all the money back.

Tapes also revealed the ugly side of this illegal gambling operation, involving another bettor called “NYU Dave”. According to the Prosecutors, NYU Dave lost $1.2 million and fell into debt, he eventually tried to pay his debt off by signing over %10 of his fashion company to to Mr. Trincher. Another unfortunate gambler, Peter Skyllas, eventually had to sign his company Titan Plumbing over to the gambling organization to save himself from his debt which was over $2 million. This incident apparently cheered Illya Trincher up, he joked that they had just gotten “some free plumbing work.”

Prosecutors believe that that one of the highest members of Russian mafia, Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, who was once accused of fixing 2002 Winter Olympics events, is also involved. However Mr Tokhtakhounov is still at large.