My 2010 WSOP Plans

Date: Thu, May 27, 2010

The World Series of Poker is going to be kicking off very soon and once again I am excited that I will be able to make the trek back down to Las Vegas for at least a week to partake in as much of the annual festivities as possible. My birthday falls towards the end of June, which provides a perfect opportunity to visit the WSOP during the height of most of the big events, which is good for when I want to both gawk at pros and then hit up the tables myself.

I’m not all that interested in large buy-in events, so typically my WSOP poker experience is kept mainly to the single-table events and cash games. My Dad actually enters in a few of the $1,500 tournaments, so I try to help him out as much as possible by winning as many tournament chips as possible in the numerous satellite events that the WSOP makes available. The number of inexperienced players at these games is really incredible and I’m able to really do some damage thanks to my online SNG knowledge. The only drawback is that, baring any side deals, you have to win these satellites in order to win anything, so you can’t pull the usual constant aggressive techniques over and over again like you can in a SNG where you’ll make the money once you hit the top three. Still, I’m able to adjust pretty easily and normally end up winning a few of these satellites.

After I help my Dad win a few buy-ins I then like to hit up the cash games, though table selection is more important than ever since there are sometimes just as many sharks in the room as there are fish. Normally I’ll scope out random tables for 15min or so and get a feeling for how strong or weak the players are and then try and at least plan which tables I want to move to if a spot opens up, as the chances of me getting the exact table I want immediately is slim. These cash games can be very juicy too since the tourists come with their wallets full.

The rest of my trip is normally spent just riding the rail and watching many of the best players in their world hone their craft. Watching these guys and girls on TV is no comparison once you get the chance to see them play in person and that alone is reason enough to try and make time for a quick down to this year’s WSOP. Remember that it goes on for a full month, so see if you have the ability to come on down, you definitely won’t regret it.

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Phily Ivey Gets Own High Stakes Vegas Poker Room

Date: Tue, May 25, 2010

This weekend Phil Ivey joined the very exclusive club of professional poker players honored with their own poker room in Las Vegas, with Bobby Baldwin being the only other player having received a similar honor. “The Ivey Room” made its debut this past weekend at the Aria Hotel, where inside sits a single poker table, multiple 42-inch flat-screen TVs, and direct access to over 480 safety deposit boxes at a private cashier’s cage. Player’s in the room can also enjoy complimentary beverage service and 24/7 table-side dining.

The room is situated next to the 24-table poker room that was unveiled at the Aria when it first opened back in December 2009. A special $1 million invitation-only freeroll event was used to launch the room on May 22nd, with the winner taking home $250,000 in prize money, with a $100,000 bounty also placed on Phil Ivey, making him a target for everyone in the tournament.

“We were thrilled that Phil agreed when we asked if he would consider putting his name on the room,” said Aria President Phil McBeath in an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He continued, “Phil is a great guy, a longtime friend both of the MGM Mirage family and mine personally, and remains a fan favorite in the world of poker.”

The Aria appears to be courting Ivey heavily with hopes of having “The Big Game” moved from the Bellagio over to its own property, but no plans have been announced by any of the pros that frequently attend the game. It looks like “The Ivey Room” will run limit games in the $1,000/$2,000 range and no-limit games starting at $200/$400.

“I am honored that Bill and the entire team at ARIA have decided to place my name on their one-table high-limit room. With its recent opening in December, ARIA has established itself as a leader in the gaming industry and I look forward to playing at ARIA’s Poker Room soon,” Ivey said.

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WPT Spanish Championship Has Crowned a New King

Date: Mon, May 24, 2010

A new king has been crowned at the WPT Spanish Championship in Barcelona, Spain. Ali Tekintamgac is the big winner in the Spanish Championship. Nine players returned to duke it out for the championship prize of €315,000 + WPT Championship Seat 2011 + Tiffany bracelet. Ali Tekintamgac entered the final table as the chip leader with 1,522,000 in chips, and Triston Clemoncon was the low man on the totem pole with only 139,000 in chips to start the day.

Play started out at level 22 with blinds at 8,000/16,000 and 2,000 ante. Tekintamgac raised from early position with 9 9, and Manuel Cuberos Lopez Cozar moved all in with AQ. With a swift call from Tekintamgac the board ran A Q 9 6 K to send the first player of the final table to the rail.

Gomila Romero was sent packing in 8th place after he pushed with pocket 6’s. He ran into two huge hands, AK and JJ, and wasn’t able to come out on top. Not too long after Emil Per Mattsson took 7th place when he pushed with A J, but it proved to be no good against the K K of Roberto Garcia Santiago.

Mads Hansen was able to double up, but a few rounds later he found himself at risk again. He got into a back and forth preflop battle with Manuel and then Hansen was all in with A Q vs. A 10. The board ran out 4s 7c Kd Jc Qh to give Manuel broadway. It was a brutal beat for Hansen as he was sent to the rail in 5th place.

As three way action commenced, Ali Tekintamgac had retained his chip lead on the table. Manuel Blaschke became the 3rd place finisher when he tried to push Tekintamgac around at the wrong time. Blaschke pushed with K 8 offsuit and Tekintamgac had pocket aces. The board ran dry for Blaschke.

Tekintamgac had a huge lead over Roberto Garcia Santiago going into heads up play. It didn’t take long for Santiago to push with 9d 8h against Tekintamgac’s 5c Qc. The board came Kh Ah 5h Qd 2d to give Ali Tekintamgac the big win.

Final table prizes are as follows:

1. ALI TEKINTAMGAC – 315.000€ + WPT seat in Las Vegas final + Tiffany bracelet
2. ROBERTO GARCIA SANTIAGO - 160.000€
3. MATS ERIK IREMARK- 81.000€
4. MANUEL BLASCHKE – 71.000€
5. MADS SMITH HANSEN – 61.000€
6. TRISTAN QUENTIN CLEMENCON– 51.000€
7. PER EMIL MATTSSON – 41.000€
8. BARTOLOME GOMILA ROMERO– 31.000€
9. MANUEL CUBEROS LOPEZ COZAR – 21.400€

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The Spanish Championship Has Begun

Date: Sun, May 23, 2010

The World Poker Tour is in the process of finding its newest poker champion at the Barcelona Spanish Championship. This event had two start days which proved to draw a record breaking crowd to this event. The buy in for this championship event was an affordable €3,200 + €300 buy-in. Tournament Director Thomas Kremser announced that there were 326 players who entered which totaled the prize pool at over 1 million euro. The top 36 players will be paid. First place will take home €315,000, $25,500 seat to the WPT World Championship, and a Tiffany bracelet.

At the end of Day 2, only 44 players remained. Per Linde, the 3rd place finisher at the Grand Prix Paris event, ended the day with the chip lead. Edgars Strupka and Paulo Da Silva Pereira were trailing closely behind him. Although some players were hoping to make the money by Day 2, they would have to wait for the bubble to burst on Day 3.

Day 3 had 44 players return at their chance for a championship title. The top 36 players are guaranteed €4,900, and none of the remaining players wanted to go home with empty pockets. It was Erik Friberg who ended up being the bubble boy when he pushed with A 4 offsuit against the JJ of Mats Iremark.

As Day 3 came to a close, the final table was set. Nine hopefuls will return on Day 4 to battle for their chance to make poker history. Ali Tekintamac will go into the final table with the chip lead. Tristan Clemencon will have his work cut out for him, as he will be the short stack at the final table.

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Ban on Russian Poker Results in Gambling Increase as Police Become Overwhelmed

Date: Thu, May 20, 2010

A few months back I reported that Russia underwent an extreme change when the government decided to place a ban on all casinos in the country, except in four designated zones. Professional gamblers and tens of thousands of casino/card room employees found themselves out of work immediately, with no other industry in which to use their skills. Now, the strict policy has begun to heavily backfire as underground casinos and poker dens are on the rise at such a pace that Russian police have been unable to keep up with enforcement.

Since July 1st 2009, the day that all poker rooms and casinos were closed down, police have confirmed that illegal gambling operations have popped up in a vast number of areas, many of which are run by ordinary gambling patrons. The most recent underground casino to be closed was a site hosted in an apartment in western Moscow. The casino was operated by a British citizen and consisted of two poker tables, two roulette wheels, 10 gambling machines and a bar. It is estimated that the operator generated tens of millions of rubles throughout the existence of his casino.

Police officials blame their inability to successfully find and shut down these establishments on a lack of available resources and manpower. They confirm that the number of illegal operations are steadily on the rise, with no quick solution in sight. There has been no word from the Russian government on whether or not they will reverse their policy, which was put in place as a way of removing gambling away from major cities and towns and instead forcing gamblers to the four designated gambling zones, which were in need of more tourism.

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WPTE Founders Find Success Outside of Poker

Date: Tue, May 18, 2010

Professional poker players and those in the poker industry are often involved in investment projects that exist outside of the realm of poker, but normally those investments don’t get a lot of attention. However, the original founders of World Poker Tour Enterprises have recently found themselves back in the limelight when it was discovered that the team had successfully managed to take the cash generated from the sale of their poker assets to Party Gaming and invest it into the energy industry.

The WPTE founders, comprised of Steven Lipscomb, Lyle Berman and Brad Berman, walked away from their poker company with $28 million in cash, and apparently have put a lot of that capital into Voyager Oil and Gas, a energy company based in Montana. The company was recently featured in the Los Angeles Business Journal, which talks about the role that Lipscomb and the Bermans now play in the business.

“I don’t think we have many unhappy shareholders,” Lyle Berman told the publication. “We thought if we could find a company with a great business model that needed cash, the stock would trade significantly above $1.40 … We have fulfilled that mission.”

As for their daily responsibilities within Voyager Oil and Gas, the trio admit to having none due to their lack of experience in the energy industry. They merely were just looking for a new project to fund that they felt could result in profitable gains, which is essentially why they formed the WPTE and launched the World Poker Tour in 2002.

“As I go into a different phase of my life, it’s time for me to thank everyone in the poker community,” Lipscomb told Card Player in December. “I know we’ve made decisions that were contentious and hard, but through all of that, I think there has been a tremendous amount of grace shown by people in the poker community.”

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Jorgensen Takes Down WPT Grand Prix de Paris

Date: Mon, May 17, 2010

The 2010 World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris had 247 players enter for their chance at a world poker title. First place money was a stunning €633,902, and it would not be an easy feat to seal a win in this event. The final eight players came down to Mickael Guenni, Theo Jorgensen, Antoine Amourette, Per Linde, Jimmy Ostensson, Nourredine Aitaleb, Fabrice Touil, and Arnaud Mattern.

When play at the final table started, Jorgensen held the chip lead with 2.7 million. Fabrice Touil was second in chips with 1.2 million which gave Jorgensen a strong lead. He would need it because he failed to knock out Antoine Amourette who was the short stack, and this left him sending chips across the felt to Amourette for a double up.

One by one each of the soldiers began to fall. Ostensson was the first to hit the rail when Touil called his all in and paired both of his cards. Arnaud Mattern was the next to go after he ran his Ac Qd into the pocket aces of Amourette.

Guenni pushed all in preflop with QhTc and got two callers. It appeared that this would be Guenni’s final hand when Amourette turned the ace high flush, but miraculously Guenni rivered a boat to stay alive. However, this didn’t last very long as he was all in again and failed to survive his all in against Jorgensen. He finished in 4th place.

Linde was the next to go after he became a short stack from doubling up Amourette he desperately needed a double up. He made a move with 7c 5d and was called by Jorgensen who held Kd Js. Linde wasn’t able to catch a win, so he left Jorgensen and Amourette to battle it out.

The heads up match was horrifically lop sided with Jorgensen sitting at 6 million in chips and Amourette at a little over 600k. It didn’t take long for Amourette to find his all in spot with Kd 6h. Unfortunately, he had run into a monster with Jorgensen holding As Kc. The board ran out 6d Jc 4c Ah 6d to give Jorgensen the win. Jorgensen took home the 2010 title and €633,902 in prize money.

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EPT High Roller Event Crowns a New Champion

Date: Sun, May 16, 2010

The European Poker Tour has just concluded its sixth season with the High Roller Grand Final coming to a close. The High Roller event had 113 players who put up €25,000 to play. The high buy in event attracted a smaller field, but it was lined with some of the best names in poker. Vanessa Rousso returned to defend her title from last year.

The final table had eight players battling for a first place prize of €956,000. Out of 113 players the final nine included Allen Bari, Michael Friedrich, Luke Schwartz, Tobias Reinkemeier, Oliver Busquet, Tom Marchese, Paul Berenede, Sorel Mizzi, and Dori Yacoub. The chip lead belonged to Dori Yacoub as play started with the final nine.

Michael Friedrich moved in with Ad 4c in an attempt to double up, but he was called by the Ac Qh of Allen Bari. The board came out 3c 5c 6c 2h Tc to give Bari a higher flush, and eliminate Friedrich in 8th place. Friedrich took home €81,300 for his final table finish.

Bari was the next to be eliminated when he pushed Ad Kh into Reinkemeier’s pocket kings. This pushed Reinkemeier into the chip lead, and he continued to push his opponents around with the big stack. Reinkemeier then took out Sorel Mizzi to eliminate him in 6th place.

Olivier Busquet stole some thunder away from Reinkemeier in the next few rounds as he doubled up through Tom Marchese and then eliminated Paul Berende in 5th place. Marchese lost the rest of his stack in a race with his pocket 9’s against the Ah Kc of Yacoub.

The three way action between Tobias Reinkemeier, Dori Yacoub, and Olivier Busquet was intense as big pots began to develop. However, Yacoub was unable to come out on top when he aggressively tried to get Reinkemeier off of his hand. Reinkemeier ended up calling Yacoub’s all in bet on the river to find himself ahead with a higher two pair. The call sent Yacoub to the rail in 3rd place.

Reinkemeier and Busquet were then heads up. Things were going back and forth, but the devastating blow came when Reinkemeier bluffed Busquet out of a major pot which left Busquet short in chips. Then Busquet made his all in move with As 2c, and Reinkemeier made the all in call with pocket queens. The queens were able to hold up to give Reinkemeier the title.

Tobias Reinkemeier, from Germany, took home €956,000 for his title in this event. He also cashed for a respectable $108,045 for his 6th place finish at the Caribbean Adventure High Roller Event.

Here are the results and payouts for the Grand Final High Roller final table:

1st- Tobias Reinkemeier - €956,000
2nd- Olivier Busquet - €597,600
3rd- Dori Yacoub - €358,500
4th- Tom Marchese - €263,000
5th- Paul Berende - €191,200
6th- Sorel Mizzi - €143,400
7th- Allen Bari - €109,900
8th- Michael Friedrich - €81,300

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WPT Grand Prix De Paris

Date: Fri, May 14, 2010

The World Poker Tour has returned to France for the WPT Prix de Paris tournament series at the Aviation Club de France. The Main Event is currently underway which has a €10,000 buy in. At total of 106 players entered into this event. The prize pool is a respectable €2,347,797 to be divided amongst 27 players with first place getting paid €633,902.

Players from all over the world have traveled to play this event. Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier, Guillaume Darcourt, Thomas Bichon, Freddy Deeb, Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen, Isabelle Mercier, Theo Jorgenson, and Roberto Romanello are among those that have made appearances for this prestigious event. Of course the top French players like Arnaud Mattern Rui Cao, Nicolas Levi, and Ludovic Lacay showed up to represent their country.
The Main Event WPT Grand Prix de Paris run from May 8th until May 12th, with the final table on May 15th. The final table will be televised. There is also a high roller event that will run from May 14-16. The High Roller Event is a €20,000 buy in event which will also have some exciting coverage. This event will also be televised.

The Aviation Club is located in Paris on the Champs-Elysees, and it is home to some of the best cash games in Europe. In addition to some of the best poker action in Europe, the Aviation Club has other table games such as Baccarat, Poker Black Jack, Punto Banco, and Caribbean Stud Poker. There is something for every table game connoisseur at the Aviation Club.

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WPT Grand Pix De Paris

Date: Wed, May 12, 2010

The World Poker Tour has returned to France for the WPT Prix de Paris tournament series at the Aviation Club de France. The Main Event is currently underway which has a €10,000 buy in. At total of 106 players entered into this event. The prize pool is a respectable €2,347,797 to be divided amongst 27 players with first place getting paid €633,902.

Players from all over the world have traveled to play this event. Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier, Guillaume Darcourt, Thomas Bichon, Freddy Deeb, Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen, Isabelle Mercier, Theo Jorgenson, and Roberto Romanello are among those that have made appearances for this prestigious event. Of course the top French players like Arnaud Mattern Rui Cao, Nicolas Levi, and Ludovic Lacay showed up to represent their country.

The Main Event WPT Grand Prix de Paris run from May 8th until May 12th, with the final table on May 15th. The final table will be televised. There is also a high roller event that will run from May 14-16. The High Roller Event is a €20,000 buy in event which will also have some exciting coverage. This event will also be televised.

The Aviation Club is located in Paris on the Champs-Elysees, and it is home to some of the best cash games in Europe. In addition to some of the best poker action in Europe, the Aviation Club has other table games such as Baccarat, Poker Black Jack, Punto Banco, and Caribbean Stud Poker. There is something for every table game connoisseur at the Aviation Club.

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Three Reasons to Visit the WSOP

Date: Tue, May 11, 2010

I’ve attended the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas for the last couple of years, mainly as a spectator. Poker friends of my mine play in a few of the $1,500 events, so normally my role for the week is to win as many tournament buy-in chips for them as I can through the single-table satellites that are always running. I normally do really well at these considering my online poker SNG experience combined with the number of unskilled tourists that frequent the games. Between the satellites and the vendors, I’m normally pretty happy for the five days or so that I’m there. There are many other reasons to come down and check out the WSOP though, regardless of your skill level. Here are a few reasons why:

Pros Galore: If you like to gawk at pro poker players and get your hat signed by the biggest names in the game, the WSOP presents the best opportunity. Practically every major pro in the game shows up at the WSOP at one point or another, and most of them are happy to take a photo with you and sign something. Just make sure you adhere to some basic etiquette and not bother the players while they’re on a short break or obviously occupied with another responsibility.

Witness the Poker Spectacle: If you’ve never been to the WSOP, the first thing that will blow you away is the sheer scope of the event. Hundreds of poker tables line the main ballroom where the games take place, and it’s truly a sight to see so many poker players in one place at one time.

Buy Some Swag: Unless you do a lot of shopping online, you probably don’t get a lot of opportunity to get your hands on some good poker gear. Well, the WSOP normally has a decent number of poker-based vendors with booths setup, selling everything from t-shirts and books to card protectors. Many of these items can become hard to find after the event as well, so come with some spending money in hand.

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Weekly SNG Tip: Staying Sharp

Date: Mon, May 10, 2010

Due to work and other different obligations, I don’t get to play nearly as much live poker as I would prefer to. As a result, you can normally find me in at the SNG tables almost seven days a week, typically very late at night. I have a theory that poker players that play both live and online poker are able to maintain their focus better than those that just play online, as live poker forces a player to stay sharp and more alert, while online poker can be played in a very casual manner. One thing I noticed when I stopped playing a lot of live poker was that my attention a the digital tables began to falter a little, which is why I had to make an effort to try and maintain my focus.

It’s very easy to get distracted while playing online poker. You can watch TV, browse the Internet and do any number of things that take your attention off the game until the little notification sound alerts you to get back to the action. I started falling victim to these distractions more and more off since I was so comfortable with my SNG strategy that I felt that I could play robotically and still do well enough to remain profitable. That was actually the case for awhile, as I could just rely on making smart SNG decisions every time the action came around to me. However, what I started to notice during my sessions is that I could not remember how any of my opponents were playing, which effectively limited the number of options available to me when deciding how to play against them.

Does that situation sound familiar? If it does, the good news is that there is a simple solution. If you play online poker to make money then you need to treat it like any other job you have. Business people that work at home are able to deny themselves the pleasures they have readily available at home such as TV and are able to focus on completing their work tasks because they know that will lead to money. Think of online poker the same way. When you’re playing online SNGs, you can’t afford to take your eyes off the game for too long, as single-table tournaments.

Turn off the television, keep your Internet browser closed, and use music to drown out any other audio distractions. Give yourself goals to accomplish while playing, such as writing down two to three notes on at least three different players at the game. These are simple tasks but will require you to pay close attention to the action, and having a mental goal can make the time playing long hours of online poker seem less tedious. Just remember that playing poker for money is just like a job, so treat it like one and give it your full attention every time.

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Rumors of Nevada Online Poker Regulation ‘Greatly Exaggerated’

Date: Wed, May 5, 2010

Poker players in Nevada are scratching their heads in confusion this week due to conflicting reports that state officials may or not be looking into a new online poker regulation bill. Two weeks ago, British stockbroker Daniel Stewart said in an interview that Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) was expected to introduce an all new poker bill to Congress within the next three months, only for Reid’s office to now step forward and say that those rumors are “greatly exaggerated.”

When asked for comment from Card Player magazine, a spokesperson for Sen. Reid’s office released the following statement: “Senator Reid has long held concerns about whether online gaming could be regulated effectively. Rumors of a forthcoming bill, however, are greatly exaggerated and stem from staff trying to get a thorough understanding of every facet of the issue, including the potential effect on Nevada.”

While many were disappointed to learn that the senator wasn’t aggressively pursuing the bill, his office at least confirmed that he was open-minded to the idea. Sen. Reid has built a reputation for staying fairly neutral when it comes to his opinion of online poker regulation, despite representing the biggest gambling state in the U.S. He has said in the past that he does not feel that online poker software is advanced enough to provide the protection needed to warrant full regulation.

Another rumor suggests that Reid’s supposed bill would only apply to online poker and leave out other gambling interests like casino games and sports betting. The American Gaming Association thinks that’s a good place to start however, saying that “If there are people in Congress who are concerned whether or not Internet gaming can be properly regulated to that standards that we do in Nevada and New Jersey and some of the other states, why not start with poker? Give it a shot, and that will be the proof in the pudding, whether or not it can be properly regulated.”

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Weekly SNG Tip: Going for First or Going Broke

Date: Tue, May 4, 2010

A common misunderstanding with many players that like to play SNG events is that as long as they make it into the money, which is normally the top three, they are doing well. The problem with this logic though is that unlike large-field tournaments that offer considerable profits for those that place in the final spots, SNG payouts really only add up if you’re winning the single-table tournament. Once you realize this, you’ll understand why so many SNG specialists stress that you only ever strive to win these SNG events, and never be content with just making it into the money.

Now this isn’t to say that you should play recklessly and gamble too much during the opening and middle rounds of a SNG, as that is just not good poker. You don’t need to always make it into the money with the chip lead (though it’s nice), but once you’re there you should not be willing to let yourself be blinded off in hopes of catching premium hands or waiting for the other players to bust each other. People that play with that mentality are willing to settle with a 3rd place finish and hopefully maybe a 2nd place another opponent gets knocked out. In reality though, you should be the one making the moves necessary to better your odds for a 1st place win.

Once you’re in the money, you are going to want to always be looking for ways to add chips to your stack. The less chips your opponents have, the more likely they are going to be forced to play marginal hands, allowing you to hopefully capitalize on that weakness. If you continue to play very tight when there are only two other players left for you to beat, they will pick on you continuously, steal your blinds and bet you out of pots. At this point you have lost control of the match and now are just hoping to get lucky with a great flop or some other uncommon situation.

Don’t ever consider 2nd place to be an acceptable finish. You’ve already won your buy-in back once you’re in the top three, now it’s time to go for the real profit. Pick your spots wisely and try and keep yourself in control of the game as much as possible.

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