There's one way to gauge how much more room the World Series of Poker has left to expand on ESPN. It hasn't gotten big enough to where Chris Berman has demanded a part of the show.

But who's to say that's not in the cards.

The network that since 1988 has given credibility and visibility to the pursuit of a royal flush as a sports-slash-entertainment spectacle launches a new round of WSOP Main Event shows Tuesday, starting with back-to-back hour-long episodes at (5 and 6 p.m., followed by dozens of repeats for the next eight weeks.

It doesn't matter that a month ago, Temecula's Jerry Yang won the $8.25 million final table in a 14-hour event that was shown live on pay-per-view. Channel surfers will invariably lock in on this stuff as if it's a "Seinfeld" re-run, even decades later as it ferments over on ESPN Classic. Play $500 match poker bonus.

What's now? Poker. Same as what was then.

"It's an odd fish," admits Norman Chad, the former sports media writer for the Washington Post who parlayed his love for card playing into an ESPN colorman/quipster gig that he may never be able to escape. "It's part reality show, part sitcom, part docudrama. And the results, as we see, don't even matter. The viewers don't care.

They just want to see the episode again where two guys argue over who put the ante in.

"In sports, live is the key element, but this doesn't even pretend to be. And it can't really be, because a table can run from four to 12 hours. It's like indoor cricket. But the taped shows continue to hold up to the satisfaction of ESPN and the viewers. That's unprecedented in sports viewing."

Poker playing on the Online poker over the last few years has not only kept the competition fluid, but those sites - even moreso since federal legislation has relaxed - fuel TV coverage with ad revenue for competing shows that stay afloat on FSN, NBC, GSN and the Travel Channel (the latter of which is in its final year with the World Poker Tour, allowing the Game Show Network to take over). In a survival-of- the-fittest TV world, the WSOP remains the baddest outlaw of the Vegas brunch bunch, and ESPN continues to cash in the chips.

"One of the first things I did when I got here was strike a new deal with ESPN that takes us through 2010," said Jeffrey Pollack, the de facto WSOP commissioner who two years ago left NASCAR's new media division to take charge of the event owned by Harrah's properties. Download poker wallpapers.

"The tone and structure of our deal is no different than a deal ESPN has with the NBA or Major League Baseball or NASCAR. We are partners in production, programming and promotion, and no one produces poker (better) than ESPN. The World Series of Poker on ESPN says something about where we fit in the sports and entertainment landscape. And we're evergreen programming."

The technological development of the lipstick cam under the table to show viewers the cards each player was trying to keep secret took the shows to a new level of entertainment a couple of years ago. Miking up players & women poker players to hear them banter is another TV tweak that has paid off, helping to develop personalities. The latest innovation for the upcoming broadcast is having it all delivered in high definition.

"For poker?" asks Chad, going back into a media critic mode. "We need to see high def on the queen of hearts? She looks good even in black and white. High def would have been great for Neil Armstrong planting a flag on the moon. But for the flop on a 3-6-10? Maybe I'm behind the curve."

And by the way, both Pollack and Chad know poker is as much of a sport on ESPN's programming schedule as the World Stacking Competition (which airs today at 10 a.m.) or the Scrabble Championship (Saturday at noon). But did ESPN devote 40 cameras to them as they did with the WSOP? That's more than it used on the Kentucky Derby.

"It's non-athletic competition," Pollack admits, "but I think we're a sport in that we're what sports fans like to watch. Our demos fit with ESPN's demos." Play online poker.

"The sports question to me is stupid," says Chad. "No, it's not a sport. It's a competition, or a game. It doesn't need to be a sport to be on ESPN. MTV stopped showing all videos years ago and HBO stopped showing all movies long ago. ESPN still has 65 different sports, and poker.

"It's a game people love to watch. Poker is in the sports section of USA Today, with the lottery numbers. That's where logic dictates. Not the purple section or the green section. It's the red section. That says enough."

Poker News Source: Whittier Daily News

Irish Bookie Makes Roland De Wolfe and Phil Ivey Favourites for Barcelona and Los Angeles Tournaments

Irish bookmaker, www.paddypower.com, today announced new betting markets on two of the biggest poker tournaments in the world - The European Poker Tour Barcelona and the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker.

The Barcelona event, Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, 2007, is the first on the EPT circuit, and traditionally attracts many of the best players & women poker players in the world. Last year Phil Ivey was defeated heads-up for the title by Norwegian Bjorn-Erik Glenne from a field of 480 runners.

EPT events have made superstars out of relative unknowns and last season’s winners will be trying to prove themselves with repeat performances this year. Roland De Wolfe has won both EPT and WPT titles and is the favourite to win again in Barcelona. Marty Smyth, who beat De Wolfe heads up to win the paddypowerpoker.com Irish Open in April is quoted at 175-1. Download poker wallpapers.

EPT Barcelona Outright Betting*
Roland de Wolfe (EPT3 Dublin Winner) 66-1
Gavin Griffin (EPT3 Monte Carlo Grand Final Winner) 80-1
Vicky Coren (EPT3 London Winner) 150-1
Magnus Petersson (EPT3 Scandinavian Open Winner) 175-1
Andreas Hoivold (EPT3 German Open Winner) 175-1
Bjorn-Erik Glenne (EPT3 Barcelona Winner) 200-1
Thang Duc Nguyen (EPT3 Baden Classic Winner) 200-1
Peter Willers Jepsen (EPT3 Polish Open Winner) 200-1

Running almost simultaneously in the U.S. is the WPT Legends of Poker, Aug. 25 to Aug. 28, 2007. The fourth event in season six of the WPT is held in the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles and with a $10,000 buy-in it is a favourite with top U.S. professionals. This is reflected in the betting which includes most of the biggest names in the game. Play online poker.

WPT Legends of Poker Outright Betting*
Phil Ivey 33-1
JC Tran 50-1
Phil Hellmuth Jr 50-1
Allen Cunningham 66-1
David ‘Chip’ Reese 80-1
Doyle Brunson 80-1
Jamie Gold 125-1

European poker has exploded in size and reputation in the last twelve months with fields to match those of the WPT. Last year the EPT Barcelona attracted a then record of 480 players. By the season finale, the Monte Carlo EPT Grand Final would attract a European record of 706 players. That record lasted only one week with the Irish Open selling out to a capacity 708 players the following weekend. Online poker.

Fields and prizepools are expected to increase again this year and paddypower.com will continue to offer markets on all major local and international poker tournaments.

Poker News Source: Card Player

Anyone who has played more than a few hands of No-Limit Hold'em has undoubtedly heard the mantra: "Position is critical."

But few truly understand why it's so important - or more specifically, in what situations and in what ways position most impacts a No-Limit Hold'em game.

You'll find several situations in No-Limit where the relative position of the players & women poker players in the hand has a significant impact - both on the way the hand is played and on the outcome. In particular when:

• Flopping a set
• Playing drawing hands
• Playing difficult or trap hands (controlling the size of the pot)
• Looking for bluffing opportunities
• Playing the turn

If you want to be a successful No-Limit Hold'em player, understanding position is absolutely essential. So with that in mind, it seems appropriate to devote a series of articles to some of the subtleties of positional play. This is the first in a five-part series.

Part I: The Impact of Position When You Flop a Set

For the sake of simplicity, we'll restrict our analysis to heads-up pots and discuss some of the differences in the play of the hand depending on whether you are in or out of position. Play $500 match poker bonus.

Building a Pot When You Are Out of Position Is Tricky

Generally speaking, the worst time to try and play a small pocket pair is in one of the blinds facing a raise from a player in late position. Heads-up, in a raised pot, it's difficult to win enough money when you do flop a set to compensate for the money you lose when you don't.

So if you are fortunate enough to flop a set but are out of position, how do you build the pot? There's no easy approach.

If you check-call the flop, it will tend to signal more strength to your opponent than simply calling in position. If you check-raise the flop, you may scare off your opponent altogether and will only earn one small bet.

If you do decide to check-call the flop, you still have to figure out the best course of action on the turn. Checking may lead to your opponent checking behind you, getting no more money into the pot. Check-raising the turn (if your opponent bets) will signal strength, and likely only win you a modest-sized pot. The only other reasonable alternative is to lead out on the flop. Play route 66 poker.

Unfortunately, many good players are now familiar with this move and may proceed cautiously. Even if betting out on the flop does get your opponent to raise, if you call all sorts of alarm bells will be going off. Similarly, if you lead out on both the flop and the turn, it also looks suspicious.

Simply put, there is no reliable way to get a lot of money into the pot when you're out of position. Generally, when faced with this situation, I would advocate betting out and then, (possibly) trying to check-raise the turn.

If You Were the Pre-flop Raiser

It's somewhat easier to get money in the pot if you're the pre-flop raiser. Imagine you raise from the cut-off with pocket eights. The button calls and the flop is J-8-3. Your goal, of course, is to try and maximize the size of the pot. So how can you do that?

Since you raised pre-flop, the most natural play is to bet the flop. Typically, bet the same amount as you would with a normal continuation bet - somewhere around half to two-thirds of the pot. This may get your opponent to raise if he thinks you've missed the flop.

But let's assume your opponent only calls and the turn is the 6.

As is often the case in poker, choosing the best course of action depends on your read of the hand your opponent is most likely to have. Typically, on this sort of flop, your opponent will have one of three types of hands: top pair (usually with a modest kicker, such as J-9 or J-T, since he didn't raise on the flop), a pocket pair lower than the jack, or some type of straight draw (usually the T-9).

If you bet again, will your opponent call with top pair and a medium kicker? How about with a medium pair? If you check, will he bet?

Generally speaking, it's hard to get paid in this sort of scenario. You don't want to give a free card on the straight draw, but you also don't want to scare off an opponent with a medium pocket pair or top pair and a modest kicker (as the former has two outs at best and the latter is now drawing dead).

Flopping a Set in Position Is Far More Profitable

When you flop a set in position, it's much easier to get money in the pot. Consequently, it's also way more profitable to play small and medium pocket pairs from late position.

But there's another reason to prefer playing pocket pairs in position - you can more accurately judge when the pot will be multi-way rather than heads-up. It's still generally profitable to play most pocket pairs heads-up (when in position), but it's far more profitable to play them against two or three opponents.

The primary reason for this is not, as many players tend to think, because more people are putting money in the pot pre-flop and you're getting better odds to flop a set. It's because the size of the bets on the flop, turn, and river tend to be multiples of the pot.

If four players see the flop instead of two, the bets on the flop and turn will tend to be much larger.

If You Raise Pre-Flop

If you raise pre-flop and flop a set in position, you're obviously in a very profitable situation.

Let's suppose once again you've raised with pocket eights and the flop comes J-8-3. If your opponent bets, you have two good options to build the pot: you can put in a normal raise, or call and wait until your opponent acts on the turn.

If your opponent bets again, you'll have to decide whether it's best to raise on the turn (it usually is if there's any draw on board), or simply smooth-call again and wait to see how things develop on the river. Play online poker.

In either case, you don't have to worry about scaring off your opponent by firing two (or three) barrels from out of position, or by check-calling the flop and then betting (or trying to check-raise) the turn. Instead, simply let the action come to you.

If Your Opponent Raises Pre-Flop

This is one of the most profitable scenarios in Hold'em. Your opponent raises pre-flop and you call in position. You flop a set and your opponent must act first. Because your opponent was the aggressor pre-flop, he'll typically make a continuation bet on the flop. This gives you a couple of good options to build a pot.

Against a solid, aggressive player, it's sometimes best to raise immediately on the flop - especially if the flop is ragged, with no high cards. This will sometimes get your opponent to try and represent a big pair and shut you out with a large re-raise. Download poker wallpapers.

Of course, if he actually has the big pocket pair, he will also typically re-raise. This approach will generally work best against a good, aggressive player. Another attractive option is to simply smooth-call the flop and wait for the turn to make your move.

Remember, flopping a set with a pocket pair is one of the most profitable situations in Texas Hold'em. Being slightly more selective with your small and medium pocket pairs and utilizing strong positional play, you can maximize your profits and potentially eliminate a costly leak in your game.

Poker News Source: Poker Listings

Who gets to cover the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour? Technically, anyone who is approved for a press pass and travels with a laptop and wireless card. Download poker wallpapers.

But who gets unfettered access to the events in question? These days, that depends on who pays the most.

Card Player Media - undoubtedly still stinging after a public spanking from pro player and PokerNews owner Tony G for allegedly stealing exclusive chip counts from his site at this year's WSOP - is the latest media organization to purchase freedom of the press by signing a contract the World Poker Tour to provide exclusive coverage of its Season 6 poker tournaments.

It's hardly terra incognita for the poker media giant: Card Player made a similar deal with the World Series of Poker in 2006, enjoying such privileges as exclusive access to hand reportage at a tournament's 15-table mark and audio rights. The specifics on the new WPT deal have yet to be announced, but in a news release Thursday, Card Player Media CEO Barry Shulman said the new contract will expand coverage of WPT events.

Part of bargain is exclusive rights to up-to-the-minute chip counts and hand-by-hand coverage of all Season 6 WPT tournaments. Other media organizations will receive the information in summarized news feeds from the WPT on the hour. Play $500 match poker bonus.

The deal was enough to set WPT CEO Steven Lipscomb spinning about how limiting media access to its events will benefit the company as it attempts to reach new markets worldwide.

"(W)e wanted to further develop our Live Updates online reporting capabilities so we can continue delivering the most robust tournament news and information to our fans," he said in the release.

Whatever the official position, I challenge any CEO to say with conviction that limiting press access to an event or story will improve the content people receive or help information reach a wider audience. Play online poker.

Though it can't be argued that limiting press rights in an entertainment industry such as poker is akin to putting boundaries on the news media, the announcement is troubling for, well, mostly other media sources, but also people who like to get their tournament information from multiple Web sites and publications.

On the whole, diversity is healthy for both the customer and the corporation. The New York Times is an internationally recognized newspaper, and yet if it weren't for the Post, some people wouldn't read the news at all. Competition is also key to ensuring quality of reporting; if one source is granted unmatched access to an event, where's the motivation to produce only top-quality content? Monopolies test resources and more often than not, one organization fails to perform as well as many could. Women poker.

Further, buying exclusive media access doesn't guarantee the most knowledgeable staff in the business and could mean shutting out people whose talents and understanding of the game could draw a larger or more appreciative audience to poker. Play route 66 poker.

Still, the WSOP and its 2007 partner, Bluff, were eager to expound how the "consolidation of digital-publishing rights" would create a better international product when the deal was inked in March.

The result? Certainly not disastrous, but reviews of the earth-shattering and compelling 2007 World Series of Poker coverage have yet to hit my doorstep. Nonetheless, it's a deal that will last three more years under terms of that contract; poker and exclusive media rights, however, are starting to look like comfortable bedfellows.

Jeffrey Pollack and Steve Lipscomb can toe the party line all they want, but there is no convincing argument for how limiting media access to poker tournaments will be good for the game. Because it's not actually about what's good for poker. Like the game, it's all just a means to make money.

Poker News Source: Poker Listings

Poker News: Team Romania has snagged its spot in the World Cup of Poker IV finals. Last Sunday, Teams Romania and Hungary played to a tie in the Division finals. Today, PokerStars hosted a heads-up match to decide which of the two teams would head to Barcelona. Play online poker

Team Romania's captain took a pass on the tie-breaker and put Tardeea in the chair to fight for his country's spot. He went head-to-head with Hungary's captain Belabacsi. Read poker blogs

After a hard-fought match, Team Romania watched its player come out with the win. Now, Romania will join Teams Iceland, Mexico, Portugal, Canada, Germany, Ireland, and USA in Barcelona's live finals next month. Play route 66 poker

With the final team in place, here's who we'll be watching play for the World Cup of Poker IV championship. Play $500 match poker bonus

Poker News Source: cardplayer

In the last decade, the ability to read body language has become the new psychometric testing. You can barely switch on the TV these days without seeing a programme exposing the nonverbal signals we send each other – everything from eyebrow flashing (a sign of sexual attraction) and hair touching (a sign of sexual attraction) to thrusting the hips to and fro while offering a thumbs up signal (care to guess?). Play online poker

It's the kind of pseudoscience any keen poker player would do well to study, given the main difference separating a top pro from a club player is the ability to read bluffs and tells with Derren Brown-like accuracy. Which is where World Championship Poker 2 comes in, as it purports to simulate poker playing behaviour in a realistic manner. Read poker blogs

It's a nice idea but one that, perhaps predictably, is executed poorly. We say predictably because getting a humble PSP to simulate the subtleties of human expression to the extent where we can intuit the nuances of tells, bluffs and double bluffs is the equivalent of asking an orang-utan to perform keyhole surgery. Play route 66 poker

The idea is that you carefully observe your opponents as they play their hands, noting patterns of behaviour which may indicate a bluff, or alternatively a strong hand. But in practice, this boils down to overt signals such as – we kid you not – the gleeful rubbing of hands, slumping in the chair or the kind of exuberant victory celebrations we haven't seen since the Ricki Lake Show. Play $500 match poker bonus

Poker News Source: pocketgamer

Poker News: At least two county sheriffs in western North Carolina accepted cash bribes to protect an illegal gambling business, an accused ringleader told an undercover investigator, according to court papers. Play online poker

James Otis Henderson, 42, is one of several defendants charged by federal prosecutors with operating an illegal gambling business and bribery of a law enforcement official, among other charges. Read poker blogs

Rutherford County Sheriff Jack Conner was working with federal authorities in December 2006 when he agreed to take $10,000 from Henderson, according to court papers filed Tuesday. Henderson had asked Conner to provide protection for houses where he located his video poker machines, and agreed to pay Conner an additional $1,000 per month. Play route 66 poker

Henderson told Conner during a videotaped conversation that other sheriffs in nearby counties were also taking bribes, according to a judge's order to detain Henderson pending trial. He said one sheriff wanted $100 per machine per month for protection, while another sought monthly installments. Play $500 match poker bonus

"The acts of the defendant show involvement in a widespread criminal conspiracy which has the potential to corrupt the criminal justice system in the Western District of North Carolina and this state," wrote U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell in his order. Play full tilt poker

Poker News Source: wral