"All in" despite new laws?

On October 13, 2006, online gambling became illegal in the United States. This law effected everything from betting on horses to betting in online poker games. The online poker world was overflowing with U.S. players, and then it was suddenly shut down.

Poker tables commonly offer games like Texas hold ‘em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, razz and other game types in both tournament and ring game structures. Players play against each other rather than the “house,” with the card room making its money through “rake” and through poker tournament fees.

But the online sports, which became extremely popular within the last few years, were deemed illegal in the United States beginning October 13, 2006. On that day, President Bush officially signed into law the Safe Port Act, a bill aimed at enhancing security at U.S. ports. Attached to this act was a provision known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

According to this act, “unlawful Internet gambling means to place, receive, or otherwise knowingly transmit a bet or wager by means of the Internet where such bet is unlawful under any law in the State in which the bet is initiated, received, or otherwise made.” This means that the UIGEA prohibits online gambling sites from performing transactions with American financial institutions, which is how gamblers use their money online. Download poker wallpapers.

But this hasn’t stopped everyone from gambling. Some U.S. citizens have found a way around this law by finding out of state companies to transfer their money through.

For most, playing online poker is as good as the real thing, if not better. Anytime you want, a poker game is ready and waiting. Another draw to online gambling was the fact that tournaments of hundreds of people are always available. If gambling isn’t legal in your state, getting together enough people for a tournament with a large payoff is nearly impossible But when the law was passed, many of the popular sites kicked off their U.S. customers.

But poker players aren’t the only ones suffering.

Several large publicly traded poker gaming sites such as PartyPoker.com, PacificPoker.com and bwin closed down their US facing operations, which has had a devastating effect on their stock values. These online poker rooms generate the bulk of their revenue by three methods. First, is the rake. Rake is collected from most real money ring game pots. The rake is normally calculated as a percentage of the pot based on a sliding scale and capped at some maximum fee. Each online poker room determines its own rake structure.

Second, pre-scheduled multi-table and impromptu sit-and-go tournaments are not raked, but rather have an entry fee. Around 10 percent of the tournament entry fee is added to the cost of the tournament.

Third, some online poker sites also offer games like black jack or side bets on poker hands where the player plays against “the house” for real money. The odds are in the house’s favor in these games, which produces a profit for the house.

Most of the sites that closed when the bill was signed were the publicly traded companies. These sites closed down to U.S. players & women poker players to protect themselves from being sued by their shareholders. But there are still some sites , like PokerStars.com, that still accept U.S.

customers. Some of these sites are privately owned and others are just interpreting the laws differently because they believe poker is a skill game therefore not being unlawful. Many of these sites use other sites, like Epassporte.com which offers customers a debit Visa Account that is obtained instantly online. Cash Transfers and moneygrams are also ways these sites are still able to offer their services. Play route 66 poker.

It’s obvious the amount of online poker players has diminished some with the new laws. But those that are determined to still play can and do find a way around it. Some of these sites are obviously finding ways around the law. It seems many are pushing for the laws to change. Until then, if you’re willing to take the risk of illegal gambling, the odds may not be in your favor.

Poker News Source: The Corner News

By Mike Bambach, USA TODAY

In the midst of this year's record-setting World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Jeffrey Pollack is preparing for another first.

The world's biggest poker event is going global in September — sort of a "Poker Europa," the World Series of Poker Europe on Sept. 6-16 in London. The event includes a three-day H.O.R.S.E. poker tournament, a two-day Pot-Limit Omaha tournament and a six-day No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament.

"It's our first step forward to meaningful international expansion," said Pollack, the WSOP's commissioner. "I think long-term — long-term being the next 12 to 36 months — we are looking to launch other events around the world."

That could include Harrah's-owned casinos in Egypt and South Africa.

The three WSOP bracelet events in London will be the first held outside Las Vegas, where the World Series started in 1970 with Johnny Moss winning the main event — and a silver cup. Since, it has grown from 42 players in the 1978 main event to 8,773 last year, and seen record participants and prize money each of the last four years.

Doyle Brunson, who's competed in every World Series of Poker, likes the idea of expanding the tournament to Europe and plans to serve as a poker ambassador in London. "I'm definitely going," he said. "I was at the first one here and I want to be at the first one there."

That strategy remains maintaining the WSOP, in Pollack's words, as "the most prodigious, richest and biggest poker tournament in the world."

The WSOP was dealt a wild card late last year — a federal law prohibiting banks and credit card companies from making U.S. customer payments to online poker sites for any type of gambling illegal under U.S. law. This year the WSOP did not accept registrations via online tournaments, which launched Chris Moneymaker to a breakthrough win in the 2003 main event.

Despite the restrictions, the WSOP appears headed for another record run. Pollack isn't ready to say this year's WSOP will top last year's record numbers, but he added: "We're trending in the right direction."

There have been a record number of participants in five events, including the largest number of players outside of the main event (2,998 in the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em) and the largest women's event (1,286 women poker players in the Ladies World Poker Championship No-Limit Hold'em). The WSOP also saw the largest number of players in a single day (3,010 on June 9).

One of the biggest tournaments outside the main event is the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. world championship, which drew a record 148 players to create a prize pool of $7,104,000 — the most outside the main event. Players compete in a rotation of five games — (H)old'em, (O)maha high-low, (R)azz, seven-card (S)tud and seven-card stud (E)ight or better — for the unofficial title of best all-around poker player and a top prize of $2,276,832.

The final eight players — Kenny Tran, David Singer, Bruno Fitoussi, John Hanson, Freddy Deeb, Thor Hansen, Amnon Filippi and Barry Greenstein — went to the final table Thursday. Download poker wallpapers.

Last year's H.O.R.S.E. final table played until 9 a.m. the following day, lasting nearly 19 hours.

"This is poker's all-star event," Pollack said. "We think the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. bracelet will soon become the bracelet that professional players covet most."

The most coveted title remains the main event — the Texas Hold'em world championship — which starts July 6. Last year, Jamie Gold defeated a record-high field for a record top prize of $12 million. Play route 66 poker.

"As with any major sport, ratings will come and go, attendance will come and go," Pollack said.

"There's no guarantee the total prize in the main event will go up every year, but it will be the biggest prize in poker." Check into our poker blog for more updates.

Poker News Source: USA TODAY

The World Series of Poker is just 37 years old, but the legendary tournament has seen it all: larger-than-life legends, overnight sensations, tragic figures, bizarre happenings and innumerable cards turned.

Now more than ever, poker is in the public eye and everyone is a pundit. Maybe so, but how much do you really know about the history of the biggest game in town?

With the advent of the 2007 Main Event in site, we've compiled 20 questions to test the savviest of World Series historians. Take the PokerListings.com quiz to find out if you are the WSOP champion of trivia. Online poker.

Questions:

1. Who holds the record for placing in the top 10 finishers at the WSOP Main Event the greatest number of times?

2. As of 2006, how many different winners of the WSOP Main Event have there been?

3. From which World Series and what player was the infamous poker saying "a chip and a chair" derived?

4. Which poker author has made it farthest in any Main Event: Is it Phil Gordon, David Sklansky or James McManus?

5. How many tournaments did Harrah's add to the 2007 WSOP schedule from the previous year?

6. With which two hole cards did Stu Ungar beat Doyle Brunson to win his first World Series of Poker championship in 1980?

7. How was the first-ever World Series of Poker champion determined? Who was he?

8. Which famous poker player is said to have mentored 2006 WSOP champ Jamie Gold?

9. On what holiday did World Series founder Benny Binion die in 1989?

10. Collectively, how many bracelets do the six original authors of Super/System - Bobby Baldwin, Mike Caro, Joey Hawthorne, Chip Reese, David Sklansky and Doyle Brunson - hold?

11. What was the first year the Series was held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino?

12. Which WSOP champ is credited with raising poker's profile, after making appearances on television programs such as 60 Minutes, The Tonight Show, and Good Morning America?

13. Who was the first woman poker player to win a gold bracelet outside the ladies event?

14. In the Amazon Room at the Rio, there are pictures on the walls of every past champion. Those who are still alive are in color, while those who are not alive are in black and white. There is one exception to this rule. Who is the exception?

15. Name two of the four non-Americans to win the Main Event.

16. Who is the World Series of Poker commissioner?

17. Who was runner-up in the Main Event twice in his career?

18. At the 1998 World Championship, to whom did Scotty Nguyen say, "You call, gonna be all over, baby"?

19. ESPN is all about the WSOP coverage these days, but CBS was the first network to broadcast the poker tournament. What was the first year the cameras rolled at Binion's?

20. What was the name of the chimpanzee Web site PokerShare.com tried to enter in the 2006 Main Event?

* * * * * * * * * * *

Answers:

1. World Series of Poker Hall of Fame inductee Cradall Addington has made it to the top 10 of the $10,000 championship a remarkable eight times. The tony Texas millionaire finished fourth in 1972, eighth in 1973, second in 1974, third in 1975, fourth in 1976, second in 1978, seventh in 1979 and 10th in 1983.

2. There have been 25 unique world champions since the inception of the WSOP in 1970. Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar and Johnny Chan have all won multiple Main Events.

3. The saying comes from 1982 World Series of Poker apocrypha where, as the legend goes, Jack Straus bounced back from the brink of elimination to win the Main Event by doubling up on a $500 chip he found under his cigarette pack when he thought he had busted out of the tournament.

The tale makes for great poker lore but isn't necessarily accurate, Straus's son, Richard, wrote in response to a blogger's confusion over how a player's stack could sink to just one chip.

Though the bulk of the story is factual - Straus, who died in 1988, took a serious beating from Dewey Tomko before winning the championship - it has likely been colored with fiction.

"As far as the one chip story, I think it is exaggerated," the junior Straus wrote. "Maybe two chips! And hey, he never smoked, so it was not under his pack!"

4. The answer is Phil Gordon - author of the Little Blue Book and Little Green Book - who placed fourth in the 2001 WSOP Main Event. Positively Fifth Street author James McManus won a satellite for a championship seat and turned it into a final table appearance in 2000 before busting out in fifth. Renowned theorist David Sklansky might be the most respected strategist of the bunch, but he finishes in third, with a 27th place finish in 1988.

5. Harrah's added 10 tournaments. There are 55 events at the 2007 World Series of Poker, while 2006 saw 45.

6. The infamous Stu Ungar had never played Hold'em before entering the World Series of Poker championship in 1980. But what he lacked in experience, he made up for in natural talent.

This innate ability brought Ungar head-to-head with Doyle Brunson, a pro who'd already clocked thousands of hours with the felt of Texas cardrooms under his elbows. In what would be the final hand of the game, Ungar held 4s-5s to Brunson's Ah-7h. The flop came Ad-7d-2c, spurring Brunson to raise.

"There was $58,000 in the pot when I made a costly mistake," Brunson recounts in his 2007 memoir, My 50 Most Memorable Hands. "I bet $35,000, underbetting the pot and trying to suck Stu in."

Fourth street brought a 3h to make Ungar a straight and give him the nuts. When Brunson moved all-in, he called and a 2d on the river sealed his fate in poker history. Download poker wallpapers.

7. The first-ever WSOP was won by Johnny Moss, but the victory different greatly from that of Jamie Gold's 2006 win.

"There wasn't any structure to the tournament or anything," recalls old-time gambler Amarillo Slim Preston in his memoirs. "All we did was play for a while and in the end we all voted on who was the best player."

The idea, said Preston, belonged to founder Benny Binion, who invited some of America's most legendary gamblers to compete series of cash games and named it the World Series of Poker.

"Well, hell, that was kind of a joke, since we all knew that the best player was the one who got the most chips," Preston writes, "but we went along with Benny's plan and designated his old buddy Johnny Moss as the first World Series of Poker champion."

8. Johnny Chan is said to have coached Hollywood agent Jamie Gold prior to his controversial victory last year. Contrary to some reports, Chan denies having a piece of Gold in the tournament.

9. The street-wise Texas cowboy who ran the casino from a booth in the Horseshoe restaurant died of heart failure on Christmas day in 1989.

10. As a whole, Bobby Baldwin, Mike Caro, Joey Hawthorne, Chip Reese, David Sklansky and Doyle Brunson have 20 bracelets.

Brunson does most of the heavy lifting for the crew with 10 bracelets for taking first in the 1976 Main Event, the 1976 Deuce-to-Seven Draw, the 1977 $1,000 Seven-Card Stud Split, the 1977 championship, the 1978 $5,000 Seven-Card Stud, the 1979 $600 Mixed Doubles, the 1991 $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em, the 1998 $1,500 Seven-Card Razz, the 2003 $2,000 H.O.R.S.E, and the 2005 $5,000 Short-Handed No-Limit Hold'em.

Baldwin has four: the 1977 $5,000 Seven-Card Stud, the 1977 $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw, the 1978 championship and the 1979 $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw.

Reese has three - the 1978 Seven-Card Stud Split, the 1982 $5,000 Limit Seven-Card Stud and the 2006 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. - as does Sklansky in the 1982 $800 Mixed Doubles, the 1982 $1,000 Draw High, and the 1982 $1,000 Limit Omaha events.

Mike "The Mad Genius" Caro has yet to win a WSOP bracelet, just as Super/System's lowball guru Joey Hawthorne failed to earn the honor before his death.

11. After Harrah's purchased Binion's Horseshoe in 2004, it moved the World Series of Poker to the Rio. That year, however, the final two days of the Main Event were held at its birthplace, Binion's, to celebrate the Las Vegas centennial. The entirety of the championship is now held at the Rio.

12. Following the 1972 championship, winner Amarillo Slim Preston went on the talk show circuit at the behest of Benny Binion. The idea was to improve the poker's reputation and move it from the backroom to centre stage. Preston was interviewed on television and in magazines, appeared on game shows and even made a cameo in Robert Altman's classic poker film, California Split.

These days, Preston might seem like an interesting choice to shoulder the task, but Binion had few options.

"Johnny Moss was 65 and had the type of personality that was suited to poker and not much else," Preston explains in his memoir. "Pug (Pearson) was always an abrasive sort; Doyle (Brunson) was a bit of a recluse; Sailor (Roberts) had a criminal record; and if there was one thing everyone knew I could do, it was run my mouth."

13. No, it's not Annie Duke or Kathy Liebert. Vera Richmond won the 1982, $1,000 Ace-to-Five Draw to become the first woman to wear a gold bracelet outside of the ladies event. Play $500 match poker bonus.

Despite this honor, Richmond is best known because of Amarillo Slim Preston's comment that he would slit his throat if she won the Main Event in 1973.

14. Inexplicably, Doyle Brunson's photograph at the new home of the World Series of Poker is in black and white.

15. Iranian Mansour Matloubi was the first non-American to wear the champion's bracelet following the 1990 WSOP. Two years later, another Iranian rounder, Hamid Dastmalchi, won the championship. Spain's Carlos Mortensen won the 2001 series and Australian Joseph Hachem was the 2005 champ. Americans such as Johnny Chan, originally from China, and Scotty Nguyen of Vietnam have also won the Series.

16. Jeffrey Pollack was hired as commissioner January 2006 after working as Harrah's VP of sports and entertainment marketing. Prior to that, Pollack held down jobs with the NBA and NASCAR.

17. That would be Dewey Tomko, a former kindergarten teacher who holds three gold bracelets.

In 1982, Tomko was the victim of Jack "Treetops" Straus's infamous return from oblivion at final table of the Main Event. After Mr. Chip-and-a-Chair rivered a 10 for a better two pair, Tomko tried on his first bridesmaid dress.

More than a decade later, Tomko met with Carlos Mortensen at the 2001 championship, but was slain by the Matador to leave braceletless and $1.1 million richer.

Tomko also holds the record for most World Series of Poker appearances.

18. Kevin McBride was steamrolled by Nguyen's full house, later saying he called the champ's all-in thinking the board would produce a split pot. Play route 66 poker.

Going into the hand, Nguyen held Jd-9c to McBride's Qh-10h. Nguyen slow played a flop showed 8c-9d-9h, check-calling McBride's $100,000 semi-bluff. He bet another $100,000 when the turn produced 8h to complete Nguyen's full house. Unfortunately for McBride, fifth street was the 8s, which gave them both a boat, but Nguyen the better one.

Nguyen bet $310,000 to put McBride all-in; as he mulled it over, the future champ spoke his oft-quoted phrase, "You call, gonna be all over, baby." Undeterred, McBride responded, "I call. I play the board."

19. Television crews have been a part of the World Series of Poker almost from the get-go, filming the first tournament in 1973. It was the year Puggy Pearson was made champion, also seeing him take down three of the series' five events.

20. The owners of Mikey the poker-playing chimpanzee hoped to enter the primate in the Main Event. But World Series organizers balked at the idea and denied Mikey entry into the championship because he couldn't provide the identification necessary to register for the $10,000 tournament.

Poker News Source: Poker Listings

The list of countries joining Antigua and Barbuda in filing claims against the United States because of its online gambling laws is now up to seven as Canada, Australia and Macao have joined in as well. Download poker wallpapers.

Mark Mendel, a lawyer at Mendel Blumenfeld LLP which is representing Antigua and Barbuda in the World Trade Organization case, confirmed for PokerListings.com that the list of claimants now includes:

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Australia
* Canada
* Costa Rica
* European Communities
* India
* Japan
* Macao

Antigua and Barbuda is the only nation so far to actually set a dollar amount and declare how they intend to seek compensation, but the added countries lend weight to the issue and support for the tiny island nation. Play route 66 poker.

The country wants $3.4 billion annually from the U.S. and is asking for commercial sanction and the authority to target American trademarks and copyrights if the U.S. laws regarding online poker/ gambling aren't changed.

The World Trade Organization released its ruling at the end of March that the United States still hadn't come into compliance with trade regulations regarding its online gambling ban.

The ruling opened the door for countries to seek compensation from the U.S. unless it changes its laws to comply with the free trade agreements set out when it joined the WTO. Play $500 match poker bonus.

The U.S.'s response is that it will change its agreements with the WTO to specifically exclude online gambling / poker, but that could take years and doesn't eliminate the possibility of having to settle with the countries filing claims now.

The list of claimants includes some big trade partners for the U.S., which could carry serious weight in determining how the U.S. decides to proceed in the matter.

Women poker - poker tournaments.

Poker News Source: Poker Listings

Las Vegas Gaming Wire

If poker player Robert Williamson has the look of a NASCAR driver, then the World Series of Poker tournament room inside the Rio's convention center resembles the Daytona Motor Speedway.

Williamson, who has career winnings of more than $1 million in the World Series of Poker, has sold space on his clothing to sponsors during this year's tournament. While playing an event, he wears a sports coat adorned with the logos of a half-dozen products and companies, hoping to get noticed by fans and television cameras.

Meanwhile, sponsor banners, advertisements and corporate signs are second in number only to the more than 200 poker tables situated throughout the 60,000-square-foot poker center. Even the tables are sponsored, tagged with the logos of Milwaukee's Best Light beer, PartyPoker.net and Planters nuts.

Even Mr. Peanut himself is expected to make appearances during the tournament's World Championship event next month, vying for attention with scantily clad Miller Beer girls.

Harrah's Entertainment, which owns the World Series of Poker, has tried to create an atmosphere at this year's poker tournament similar to the environment found at major sporting events, such as auto racing or a Professional Golf Association tour stop. Corporate messaging surrounds the fans and poker players throughout the tournament.

The concept yielded revenue for Harrah's, although the company won't divulge the contract details negotiated with each advertiser, sponsor or licensee.

"We create and design individual packages," said Jeffrey Pollack, a Harrah's vice president who serves as the tournament's commissioner. "This is sports marketing 101. There's no great complexity. We identify a company and they see the value in what we have to offer."

The tournament marks the second straight year Miller Brewing Co. has placed Milwaukee's Best Light as the event's presenting sponsor. Harrah's, in other deals, signed up Hershey's as the tournament's official chocolate and Planters as the tournament's official nut. The company also struck an agreement with U.S. Playing Card Co. to create the official playing card of the World Series of Poker.

Last year, Corum Swiss Timepiece created the tournament's official watch. This year, the company was also asked to redesign and sponsor the diamond-and-gold bracelets awarded to individual event champions.

"Advertisers get three things from the World Series of Poker," Pollack said. "They get exposure through our ESPN telecasts, they can embrace us as a promotional platform year-round, and they are going to get on-site marketing during the tournament." Download poker wallpapers.

David Carter, a professor at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business who specializes in sports marketing, said some of the World Series of Poker sponsors and advertisers match up well with the activity, similar to the way footwear and apparel manufacturers align with the National Basketball Association.

"When you look at poker and its fan base, beer and snack foods seem to make sense for advertisers," Carter said. "Think of guys sitting around on a Friday night playing poker and what goes along with that activity."

Advertisers have two key audiences they hope to reach by becoming partners with the World Series of Poker, television viewers watching ESPN's taped coverage of the tournament and the estimated 125,000 on-site poker fans who are expected to pass through the Rio during the seven-weeklong competition. Play route 66 poker.

Miller Brewing Co., which is in the second year of a three-year deal with the poker tournament, believes it is reaching both audiences.

The beer manufacturer has placed dozens of large, inflatable replicas of Milwaukee's Best Light cans throughout the hallways leading into the tournament room. Inside the room, signs, banners and logos proclaim the beer as the tournament's presenter.

The No Limit Lounge was created as a skybox location where spectators can enjoy the action above the final table area that serves as ESPN's in-house studio. Also, every tournament poker table at the Rio has the Milwaukee's Best logo prominently displayed.

"The idea is to drive as much retail activation and consumer activity around the brand as possible," said Dockery Clark, Miller Brewing's director of sports and alliance marketing. "For us, it's about brand image, brand awareness and the sociability of the brand."

Miller Brewing produces several other more well-known beers, such as Miller High Life, Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft. Clark said Milwaukee's Best Light, a less-recognized brand, seemed to be a more mainstream product that fits with the poker audience.

"The relationship with the tournament has helped move the meter for this brand," Clark said. "We plan to use some of the poker players in our advertising for Milwaukee's Best Light."

While beer fits with poker, Corum, a high-end Swiss watchmaker seems out of place. But the company's U.S. president, Stacie Orloff, said it is still learning what opportunities are out there with the poker fan base.

"We're in the second year of a five-year agreement, but we see this as a tremendous franchise to be associated with," Orloff said. "We are identifying many different ways to reach our audience."

Eric Wright, who heads research and development for Michigan-based Joyce Julius and Associates, a marketing firm that measures the impact of media sponsorships, said the table logos are the most lucrative location for any poker advertiser. The fixed camera angles associated with the event tend to give those spots plenty of airtime. Play $500 match poker bonus.

However, poker sponsorship is still in its infancy, and it's too early to judge the game's impact. Wright said there are some similarities for poker with professional bass fishing, which has found a targeted audience on ESPN and other outdoor-related cable- television channels.

"Poker does a pretty good on the screen time for the logos, but that can become secondary to the viewer," Wright said. "Still, any kind of signage can be pretty powerful. Based on the brands they are partnering with, it seems the World Series is achieving good brand awareness."

Individual poker players are welcomed to strike their own sponsorship deals, selling advertising space on their clothing similar in a manner to professional golfers or race car drivers. Wright said this works only for advertisers trying to reach a large audience if the player is successful and garners a lot of television time.

Williamson, who won an individual World Series event in 2002, said he was able to strike deals with Miller Brewing Co., Corum, the Ultimate Blackjack Tour and Churchill Downs' off-track wagering business because of his personality and recognition by poker fans.

"I'm usually the type of person who gets some TV time, so that makes my sponsors happy," said Williamson, a 37-year-old Dallas resident who has already finished in the money in World Series events twice this year.

"It wasn't hard to get the interest and the deals," he added.

In previous years, Internet gambling sites would sponsor players at a televised final table. Players were paid to wear hats and shirts with the site's logo. However, federal legislation effectively outlawed online poker & gambling, and Harrah's has banned those logos from the tournament room, except for the free-to-play dot-net sites.

This year, Harrah's spelled out 12 rules for player sponsorship. Certain businesses and products, such as pornography, were banned, as were any beers not produced by Miller Brewing.

Williamson had to get Harrah's sign-off for the off-track wagering site.

"When I heard Harrah's changed the rules, I jumped at the opportunity," he said.

Pollack said poker players & women poker players are free agents and can sign the best sponsorships they can find within the boundaries of the rules.

"We took a page from NASCAR, and we think this is just the tip of the iceberg," Pollack said. "We see a lot more opportunities out there for us to create and become a major sporting event."

Carter said the idea of the World Series of Poker being looked at as a true sport is in the eyes of the viewer.

With ESPN potentially televising some 80 hours of World Series play through its main package and repeat broadcasts on the network's secondary channels, exposure for sponsors could be plentiful.

"There has always been a debate on whether or not golf is a sport, because you can smoke while doing it," Carter said. "You can look at how Harrah's uses poker as a vehicle to market its properties. For them, I don't think it matters if it's viewed as a sport or a marketing platform. I don't think they care as long as it delivers on their marketing strategies."

Poker News Source: Casino City Times

Comfort was the idea.

When Corum, the official designer of this year's 55 World Series of Poker gold bracelets, took one look at the massive bracelets of old, they decided to create something players could actually wear in public.

"The old bracelets are great because they mean something, but they look like a heavyweight boxer's championship belt," said Stacie Orloff, president of Corum USA. "We took our inspiration from our watches. We wanted to create something elegant that players would want to wear all the time." Download poker wallpapers.

Winning a gold bracelet…priceless.

Each bracelet is made from solid 18-carat gold, yellow for the regular events (54 total bracelets) and white for the Main Event. The weights range from 84 grams for the regular-event bracelets to 136 grams for the Main Event prize. Diamonds and precious stones decorate each bracelet, adding flair to most coveted prize in poker.

So how much is it worth? Orloff was coy about its exact value.

"How can you put a value on a World Series of Poker bracelet," Orloff said. "We don't want to cheapen the amazing accomplishment but putting an exact value on the bracelets. In other words, they're priceless."

Is this thing a watch too?

The bracelets do not tell time or make you a better poker player, Orloff said.

But they do look like watches. Corum wanted the bracelets to look like watches because watches are common and comfortable to the average person, Orloff said. Play online poker.

The bracelets have a link-based design and are fitted with a folding jeweler's clasp typical of many watches.

"The World Series of Poker bracelet is the most coveted prize in gaming and the ultimate expression of excellence in poker tournaments," WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack said. "These spectacular bracelets by Corum are the finest in the history of the WSOP, and will be cherished by those skilled enough to win them."

Links also help with sizing. Each bracelet begins at nine inches, the standard size for a men's bracelet. The Ladies World Championship bracelet is eight inches long. Corum created extra links to ensure women poker players with larger wrists can still flaunt their title. The links can also be removed to accommodate smaller players.

"Phil Hellmuth said he loved the new design when he won his 11th," Orloff said. "Normally he gives his bracelets away to family and friends, but I heard him say after his win that might keep this one."

Main Event bling

As in past years, the Main Event bracelet has a special look. Crafted from solid white gold, this year's bracelet features 120 diamonds. The number of diamonds has no significance, according to Orloff.

Each diamond is hand-placed. Diamonds cover the Main Event bracelet face, spelling out the word poker, which is surrounded by rows of diamonds on the top and bottom.

"The amount of labor involved in placing the stones is extensive and costly," Orloff said. "Again, we don't want to put a specific value on it, but I can say it was quite a bit more expensive than in previous years."

H.O.R.S.E. bracelet

Corum officials also wanted to distinguish the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. bracelet because last year's event drew the world's greatest players, unofficially making it the one event that can crown poker's all-around champion, Orloff said.

Ninety-one black diamonds cover the face of the H.O.R.S.E. bracelet.

Black diamonds are rare, made fashionable in recent times because of their unique appearance. Some scientists believe black diamonds come from extraterrestrial sources like meteorites, and are akin to cosmic dust created during Supernovas, according to a 2006 Florida International University study. Play route 66 poker.

"Last year's H.O.R.S.E. event was very special, so the bracelet must also be special" Orloff said. "We wanted to pay homage to that and the great professionals that compete in this tournament."

The H.O.R.S.E. bracelet also features two rubies, signifying the tournament's second run.

Ladies only

Like the H.O.R.S.E. bracelet, Corum wanted to make a special trophy to honor the ladies.

"My heart goes out to the women poker players," Orloff said. "This is our way of acknowledging an event that doesn't always get a lot of attention. Women are playing at such a high level these days, maybe in a couple years there will be no such thing as a ladies-only event."

Orloff played in the Ladies World Championship this year, despite being an admitted woman poker rookie. She claims to have caught the Texas Hold'em bug and harbored secret fantasies of winning the bracelet for her own wrist.

And who wouldn't?

The Ladies World Championship bracelet features two rubies, four black diamonds and 87 blue sapphires that spell the word poker and line the bracelet's perimeter.

"The goal, as with all the bracelets, is comfort and elegance," Orloff said.

And the winners get…

The remaining bracelets are all the same. Each of the 53 regular event champions will receive a yellow-gold bracelet featuring 53 diamonds. The diamonds represent the number of regular events in the 2007 WSOP.

Corum started making the 2007 bracelets last December in Italy. The bracelet-making process was extensive, as each part was handled by a different expert.

First, a mold was created to serve as the prototype. Gold was then poured into the molds, creating the links and faces. Then, stone setters individually placed each of 3,112 precious stones that adorn this year's trophies. Play $500 match poker bonus.

After the stones were placed, the WSOP logo and the four suits were added. An enameller then sealed the entire structure and added the shiny finish. The final touch was the clasp, which allows the event winner to wear his or her bracelet proudly.

Corum would not say how long it takes to make each bracelet.

Security is an issue when creating unique jewelry. Corum destroyed all of the prototypes to make sure the bracelets remained one-of-a-kind, Orloff said. Each bracelet was also stamped with the Corum seal to ensure authenticity. The stamp appears where the links meet the bracelet face. Online poker.

There were no additional bracelets made, except for the three headed to Europe for the winners of the inaugural WSOP Europe in September.

"It's a multi-faceted project that requires many experts," Orloff said.

The bracelet's future

Corum has a contract with the WSOP that runs until 2011, keeping the bracelet design under their control for the near future. Online poker.

This year's watch-like design has received favorable reviews, and Corum will most likely keep a similar design in 2008, Orloff said.

Although there is currently a spot on the back of the bracelet saved for engraving, Orloff said next year, Corum might pre-engrave the event names into the bracelets -- a popular request from players. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.

Poker News Source: Casino City Times

Poker News: Team Bodog poker player Yuval Bronshtein, who desperately needs a nickname, seems to have picked one up on his way to the Day 2 chip lead. His super-aggressive play and, at times, overwhelming chip lead caused his tablemates to start referring to him as "The Steamroller". While this isn't really any shorter to write than his real name, we did get what we asked for. However, much like David Williams is referred to as "DW", we are going to be the cool kids and refer to Yuval as "YB". Play online poker

YB goes into the final table with roughly a 60k chip lead over second-place Greg Hopkins. Expect the action to be fast and the pot sizes big as "The Steamroller" will be pushing the rest of the table into potentially poker tournament-ending decisions with his aggressive play. The last leg begins today at 2pm PDT and will be held in the Bluff "Sequestrium" inside the Amazon Room. Read poker blogs

Two guests are allowed to be sequestered with him, but any other interested parties will be kept out. So, much like when Team Bodog poker player Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo made a final table, we will be staring at a wall of black curtains straining to hear the TD inside to get updates on his progress. Which can be as interesting as watching paint dry for the excluded friends and family. Download poker wallpapers

We guess you could use the luxurious (*cough*) viewing area in the hallway to watch the hour-delay WorldSeries of Poker.com webcast of the final table which had a lot of women poker players, but the purported "beverage service" will more likely consist of us sneaking non-alcoholic carbonated beverages out of the door of the media room. Tell the friends and family to come out for the after-party, that'll be more fun for everyone, especially if you invite us. We're fun people. route 66 poker

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Poker News source: bodog

Poker News: Bluff Europe magazine, Europe's premier poker publication, is celebrating summer and its crowning of London as "Europe's #1 Poker City" by holding an afternoon of poker with the World Poker Tour® (WPT) in the heart of London. Online poker
"Poker in the Park" will be held in Leicester Square Park on Friday, July 6th, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bluff Europe and WPT will be holding 'Learn to Play' and 'Play-for-Fun' tournaments for poker enthusiasts and players of all skills and backgrounds. Women poker

The event, presented by Bluff Europe and sponsored by the World Poker Tour, is open to all visitors over 18 years of age. Visitors who choose to play might find themselves across the table from actress Mimi Rogers, who is also a WPT Board member and woman poker player. WPT president, founder and CEO, Steve Lipscomb, will also attend the event. In addition, World Poker Tour poker gift packages will be given to the first 1,000 visitors. $500 match poker bonus

"We are pleased to be a part of this celebration as London is named the #1 poker capital in Europe," said Lipscomb. "World Poker Tour was at the forefront of the global television poker phenomenon, which helped bring the poker boom to London. We are honoured to have played a part in this great city's rich history." route 66 poker

To mark the magazine's naming of London as Europe's No.1 poker destination, a plaque will be awarded to the Mayor of London, congratulating the city for its services to the poker community.

"'Poker in the Park' is an opportunity for people who have an interest in the game to come out and play for free in a fun, friendly environment, and to find out what all the excitement is about," said Michael Caselli, editor-in-chief of Bluff Europe. "People are really beginning to see that poker is a game of skill and intellect and that tournament poker is about mental fortitude -- it really is about the sport of poker. The event is also a celebration of the London poker boom which punctuates London as one of the most exciting places to be right now." Play online poker

About Bluff Europe:
Bluff Europe is Europe's most widely read poker publication, aimed squarely at the poker enthusiast. The magazine is distributed through European card rooms and poker clubs as well as on newsstands in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia. Regular contributors include Phil Laack, Roy Brindley, Hollywood Star turned woman poker player - Jennifer Tilly and a host of other poker professionals from the UK, Europe and the USA. $500 match poker bonus

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poker news source: pr

Just because you're not a CEO or other high-level executive doesn't mean you can't be given the VIP treatment at the Next CEO Poker Tour event at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas July 2-10.

The CEO Poker Tournament is offering VIP pass tickets to the event via its Web site at CEOPokerTour.com. With the free pass, players & women poker players are entitled to a gift bag and CEO Poker Tour hat when they register for the Venetian event. Download poker wallpapers.

"The CEO Poker Tour gives poker players & women poker pros the ability to play poker online and network," said William Peraza Jr., CEO Poker Tour CEO. "We also wanted to give players the added value of a gift when they register."

You don't have to be a CEO to play in the CEO Poker tournaments, and there are buy-in levels that will suit even the stock boys among us who'd like to play. You can get in for as little $500 to as much as $2,500 for the main event.

The events give out trophies and in some cases bracelets, but the main event winner can look forward to carting home a crystal etched cup that is engraved in gold. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.

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Poker News Source: Poker Listings

By Daniel Negreanu

If someone describes your playing style as weak, let's just say you're in lots of trouble. In fact, its the weak players that are the ones you should focus on when you are at the poker table. Rather than duke it out with the strong, fierce, aggressive players you'll risk less, and win more in the long run against the weak, timid, passive players. Download poker wallpapers.

In order to pound on the weak players properly, the first thing you'll need to do is identify them. There are generally a few clues that you can look for that while not always totally accurate, could be clues nonetheless:

1) How they dress. If someone dresses extremely conservatively they will generally play poker that way! If they dress loudly they'll more than likely play more aggressive or flamboyantly.
2) How they talk. This is in line with the previous clue. If they are quiet or timid in the way they talk, chances are that's how they'll play online poker.

Again, conversely, if you a dealing with an aggressive talker they are more than likely aggressive players & women poker players.
3) Do they raise before the flop or just call? If they like to limp in on a regular basis, you might be dealing with a weak player.

4) Do they like to bet, or check and call? Aggressive players & women poker pros are bettors while weak players tend to check, or just call others bets.
So once you've identified the weak player, it's time to strategize against them. Playing
against weak players is without a doubt, the easiest type of opponent to face. In fact,
your cards often don't even matter since they play so predictably!

The key principal to think about is to basically pound them like an anvil repeatedly until they stick up for themselves. Almost like what a bully at school would be like who wants your lunch money. If they keep giving it up, you keep taking it. When you have position on a weak player it makes it that much easier so you really want to look for opportunities to get a weak player "heads up."

How do you do that? Well when a weak player limps into a pot you try to isolate him with a decent sized raise to knock everyone out but you and the weak player. If the player is extremely weak, it doesn't even matter is you have a 2-7 in your hand! You really aren't playing your hand anyway, you are playing the player poker tournament.

So if you are able to get the weak player heads up with position, you'll know let his actions dicate what you should do. If the weak player bets the flop you can pretty sure he has a good hand. So, if you don't flop a very good hand now would be a very good time to fold. Online poker.

If the weak player checks the flop, then you should bet regardless of what you have. The only time you may want to check is if you flopped the nuts and want to give him a free card. Otherwise, you should always bet the flop and look to win the pot right there. Again, if your weak opponent check-raises you, run and hide! Unless of course you flopped a strong hand yourself. Play route 66 poker.

The tricky decision comes when the weak player decides to just call which he will often do. At that point, you have to make a game time decision as to whether your opponent flopped a drawing hand or a made hand.
Since your opponent is weak they won't give you much information about their hand by the
way they play it. Generally, a weak player will check and call with both a made hand
like top pair, or a flush draw. Play $500 match poker bonus.

So, as a general rule you should proceed cautiously if a weak player calls you on the flop. If you have a good hand by all means bet, but if you are bluffing I would lean towards checking on the turn card since the weak player has shown some interest. There is an old adage in poker that I think sums up that last point, "If you bluff a bad player you then become one." Stay aggressive against the weak players but don't get caught running without the ball when they show interest in the flop. Stay tuned to our poker blog for updates.

Poker News Source: Swiss Poker

Poker News: While the best poker hands are always made up of five cards, there are different ways of making those hands, depending upon what type of poker you are playing. For example, when you are playing Texas Hold'em, you can choose between your two pocket cards and the five community cards to come up with the best poker hands. Download Poker Wallpapers
You can use one of your pocket cards along with four of the community cards or you can use both of your pocket cards along with three of the community cards. Alternatively, you can use all five community cards to make the best poker hands, although by doing this, you could only hope to tie the other players unless, of course, they fold. Play online poker

When playing Omaha poker, it works a little differently. Players are dealt four hold, or pocket cards instead of two however, there are still five community, or board cards. In order to make the best poker hands, players must use exactly two of the four hole cards and three of the five community cards to make their hands. Read Poker Blogs

It works the same way in Omaha hi-low poker, with the exception that players are trying to make the best high poker hands as well as the best low poker hands. While some or all of the same cards can be used to make the best poker hands on the low end as on the high end, no cards higher than 8 can be used to make the low hand and no pairs can be used. Play Poker Tournaments

In this case, the A is used as a 1, so of all the best poker hands on the low side, A, 1, 2, 3, and 4 is the best low hand when playing Omaha hi-low. Women Poker

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Poker News Source: pointspreads

The ninth All Africa Poker Tournament was a much-anticipated event, and it showed as 120 players & women poker players came out to play, creating a more than R3 million prize pool and the "richest poker tournament in Africa."

Outdoing them all to take home the top prize of R1 million as well as a seat in the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event was 26-year-old Claude Sacks. Download poker wallpapers.

Sacks went heads-up against Neville Eber, a former All Africa Poker finalist, to earn his win. Having to fight back after losing most of his stack, Sacks proved his skill and his fighting spirit. After 30 hours of play from start to finish at Piggs Peak Casino, he finally got his win. Play online poker.

The poker tournament was also filmed to be broadcast later on the All Africa Poker Channel.

This was the last tournament before players head to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker.

Sacks joins Eber, Darryn van Heerden, Ray Rahme and Ryan Brauer as part of the Team All Africa Poker in the Main Event in July. Stay tuned to our Live Tournament Section to see keep an eye out for their names and see how they do. Play $500 match poker bonus.

Once the dust settles from the World Series, the All Africa Poker Tournament will return to Piggs Peak once again. Play route 66 poker.

The next event is scheduled for Aug. 16-18 and will award the top 10 finalists a seat in the Sun City Million Dollar Poker Challenge taking place in September. Online poker.

"We have already been inundated with enquiries, and we would suggest that interested players & women poker pros register early for the tournament to avoid disappointment," said Wendy Graaf, Piggs Peak group marketing manager. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.

Poker News Source: Poker Listings

Poker News: Attendance of the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event will be bolstered by 10 more players as Everest Poker has listed the 10 players it will be sending, including nine who won seats online and a sponsored pro. Play Online Poker

"We're always eager to see how our players compete in these large poker tournaments," said Jonathan May, Everest Poker property manager. "The World Series of Poker Main Event is a particularly exciting event in the world of poker, and we're glad to send players there." Read Poker Blogs

Cristiano Blanco will be the token pro on the team. He's found a lot of success at Everest Poker.

The nine players who won seats at the poker site are:

* Jackdanielz from The Netherlands
* sasha79 from Italy
* ugomoic from Italy
* elvirois from France
* Olivier Coste from France
* NBK59 from France
* drHoho from Denmark
* Marco75 from Germany
* A.Corleone from Italy

They will all receive the $10,000 buy-in for the Main Event as well as money for transportation, room and board. Women Poker
PokerListings.com has been bringing you updates from the World Series on a daily basis since it started June 1. Check it out and keep an eye out for your favorite players in the Live Poker Tournament Section. poker wallpapers

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A bill that would let bars and restaurants in Louisiana hold the popular Texas Hold 'Em poker tournaments is headed to the full Senate for debate after winning approval from a Senate committee.

The tournaments have been the subject of dispute because the state's top liquor regulator said they violate Louisiana's gambling laws. Supporters of the bill said they don't view the online poker games as gambling as long as the bars and restaurants don't get a cut of the wagering.

The bill by Rep. Warren Triche of Thibodaux would allow the businesses to hold poker tournaments once a week for people at least 21 years old as long as the owner doesn't get part of the proceeds and doesn't charge an entrance fee.

The bars and restaurants wouldn't be able to operate the tournament, furnish supplies like cards and poker chips or advertise beyond their regular business signs.

Opponents said the tournaments would hurt charitable gaming operations, and they said the bill would expand gambling in Louisiana to more than 20,000 bars. Download poker wallpapers.

Triche sponsored a similar bill last year, but it couldn't get passage in the House. This year, the House narrowly approved the measure. A Senate judiciary committee agreed to it in a 3-1 vote Tuesday, sending it to the Senate floor. Play route 66 poker.

If it receives Senate approval, it faces an uncertain future because Gov. Kathleen Blanco has opposed it as an expansion of gambling. Play $500 match poker bonus.

Orleans Parish is excluded from the bill.

Spotlight 29 Casino to Hold Ladies Only Poker Tourney

Move over boys; this one's for the girls! Registration is available now for Spotlight 29 Casino's first Ladies Only Poker Tournament!

The No Limit Texas Hold'em event takes place July 8 in the casino's Poker Room. Check in is 1 p.m. and the first round begins at 2 p.m. Women poker players interested in playing it big can sign up today by visiting the casino's Poker Room. For just a $50 entry fee, participants receive $5,000 in tournament chips, and rounds last 20 minutes each. There are no re-buys and no add-ons.

The prize pool is based on the number of contestants, and ladies are encouraged to bring their friends to play.

Spotlight 29 Casino online Poker Room Supervisor Keri Downs is organizing the event. She said, "We always have something fun going on in our Poker Room, and I wanted to do something just for the ladies. Our Poker Room is very friendly, and all the women poker players who play are going to have a blast. And maybe win some money, too!"

In addition to the Ladies Only Poker Tourney, Spotlight 29 Casino will soon be hosting the All-Star Poker Challenge, scheduled for October 13 and 14. Football Hall of Fame inductee Deacon Jones is scheduled to appear, among others. All players are welcome to register to play. Entry fee is $560, and entries are available now at the Spotlight 29 Casino Box Office and Gift Shop. Play online poker.

Of course, the Poker Room has tournaments and fun for everyone every week. Go all in every Friday at 6 p.m. for the MVP Poker Challenge, with an easy $60 buy-in to play. Saturday nights is the $2,000 Poker Payoff, where players can win cash in hourly drawings that start at 5 p.m. and go through midnight. Sundays join the $20/$5/$5 No Limit Texas Hold'em tourney.

Or sit in on the daily Sit & Go Tournament. This winner-take-all tournament takes just nine to ten players and occur spontaneously throughout the day. Contact the Poker Room for more information.

Put the spotlight on hot poker action at Spotlight 29 Casino, the Coachella Valley's most exciting place to play. Spotlight 29 Casino is a business venture of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.

Poker News Source: WDSU & Earth Times

Poker News: The English Midlands city of Birmingham has been chosen as the venue Sky Poker's first ever offline poker tournament, with the city's Broadway Casino as the venue.

100 of the top Sky Poker online poker players have been exclusively invited to travel to Birmingham to enjoy the poker tournament, meet fellow Sky Poker players and play for generous prizes. After previously playing their hands playing online poker and through set top boxes, this will be a whole new poker experience, meeting rivals face to face and playing in a real card room setting.

Sky film crews will capture the whole event, and poker experts will be on hand to advise and chat, including Norman Pace and Ed Giddens. Poker Blogs
The poker tournament takes place on Saturday 23 June with registration at 1pm followed by a series of tutorials by expert presenters and a 4pm start to the action.

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poker news source: onlinecasinos

Poker News: Bond Gaming International announces the debut of the US Poker HOTSHOTS limited edition poker chip set featuring 12 of today’s hottest poker stars and woman poker players. Available online at www.CollectablesMANIA.com, the set is already considered a must-have item for poker enthusiasts and collectors. Play Online Poker

Featured in beautiful full color graphics, this limited edition chip set includes World Series of Poker tournament champions Scotty Nguyen and Juan Carlos Mortenson, as well as WSOP Main Event runner-ups like T.J. Cloutier and David Williams. The set also features former Player of the Year recipients, Daniel Negreanu, Gavin Smith, and Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, and WSOP bracelet winners like Antonio Esfandiari, Josh Arieh, Cyndy Violette and Mike Matusow. The set is rounded out with poker star Evelyn Ng. Play online Poker

The high-quality chips and vibrant images featured in the set rival the best collectible chips available. Thanks to many years of supplying high security poker chips to the world’s leading casinos, Bond Gaming International’s president Jeffrey Lindsay knew exactly what needed to be done to manufacture the premier poker collectible chip set. Poker Blogs

“These limited edition poker chips are a first for the memorabilia and collectible industry. Made of high-quality materials and stunning poker wallpapers of today’s hottest women poker players, this sets value should go well beyond its initial offering price and will remain a collector’s item for a long time to come,” said Bond Gaming International’s president, Jeffrey Lindsay.

In addition to the US Poker HOTSHOTS collection, the CollectablesMania website features over 40 different chip collections. Licenses were negotiated with some of the world’s leading brands and franchises, ranging from the 2006 Manchester United soccer team to popular movie titles Scarface and King Kong. Each limited edition poker chip is individually serialized, comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and is shipped in a high quality presentation pack featuring velvet chip protectors.
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Poker News Source: allinmag

By Gary Wise

The work cycle for the average slob working at the World Series of Poker goes something like this: The first two days, the shock of being there doesn't let the work sink in. The next week, the excitement of being there hits you like an adrenal ton of bricks; you're happy to do anything and everything because, well, you're back at WSOP! When that wears off, the grind sets in. I was doing a pretty good job of fighting the grind, a combination of work fatigue from 80-hour work weeks and the collected germs, leading to inevitable illness. After celebrating the Hellmuth win though, I started feeling the burnout. Download poker wallpapers.

The last few days, I've been going through the motions a little more than usual. The creativity wasn't exactly at peak, and while the job was still getting done (I'm producing video content for worldseriesofpoker.com) it wasn't with the same flare. Each night, I'd end my work day, sit down to work and nothing would come out of my fingers. Blank pages don't make for good articles, so when Bluff Media voice/leader/boss Nick Geber announced with a smile that we'd all have Saturday off, I was a happy man. Play online poker.

This is the first day off I've ever taken at the Series. There are no days off here; no weekends, just days on end of the same, timeless routine. Half the time you don't know if it's light or dark out, so sleeping in today, then seeing the city a bit was a little hard on the eyes, but in a good way. Still, there's a lot that's happened since Phil won number eleven, and the statute of limitations on those stories is getting close, so here I am, working on my day off. I've actually lost a bet by doing this to a fellow industry type who understands the relationship between a workaholic and his work. I have too much to write about for one column, so today, two big stories, then tomorrow, a bunch of small ones. Play route 66 poker.

The Gentleman

Lost in the shuffle of Hellmuth's win was Allen Cunningham's the night before. The thirty-year old professional survived the toughest final table of the Series thus far (look for the $50,000 HORSE to eclipse it) to win the $5,000 pot-limit hold 'em poker tournament world championship.

Here's how tough this field was. Not only did Allen beat one of the toughest players in the world in Jeffrey Lisandro, after turfing three-time 2007 WSOP final table finisher Humberto Brenes, but he also had to beat two of the last three champions of the event; Jason Lester (2006) and Gavin Griffin (2004). 2005 Champion Brian Wilson insists Cunningham only won because Wilson fell ill. I guess that leaves us all thinking about what could have been. Right. Play $500 match poker bonus.

Cunningham's win puts him in some extraordinary company. At 30, he's the third-youngest player in history to win five bracelets, trailing only the two big Phil's; Hellmuth and Ivey. It also ties him with Ivey, Jesus Ferguson and Johnny Chan for the most bracelets in the 2000's. For me though, this next detail was the most extraordinary.

This is the third year in a row that Cunningham has won a bracelet (actually, he's also made it to heads-up in seven of the last eight WSOPs). The last player to win in three consecutive years was Erik Seidel, who did it from 1992-'94. Thirteen years, and Cunningham's fields were a lot bigger and a lot tougher. The amazing thing though, is that before Seidel, it had been fifteen years since anyone else had done it. Only Johnny Moss (1974-76), Doyle Brunson (1976-79) and the more or less despicable Bones Berland (1977-79) had done it previously, and that was against two-figure fields.

Now you understand why Peter Feldman picked Cunningham first overall in the ESPN Fantasy draft. This guy may be the best poker tournament player in the world right now, and that includes Ivey, Hellmuth and the rest. There are obviously arguments to be made; it's not cut and dry. Quietly though, Cunningham may be exposing us to the greatest tourname