World Series of Poker Europe Main Event

The World Series of Poker Europe main event is down to 62 players from the starting field of 362. With so few starting runners compared to the thousands in the Las Vegas WSOP, it is not surprising that the leader board is still full of big name professionals. Here are the players at the top entering day three.

1 Bloch, Andy - Las Vegas 321,600
2 Townsend, Brian - Santa Barbara, CA 290,100
3 Seidel, Erik - Las Vegas 282,300
4 Juanda, John - Las Vegas 252,500
5 Rouas, Phillippe - San Francisco 233,300
6 Elliott, Christopher - Alloa UK 231,900
7 Moorman, Christopher - Brighton UK 219,500
8 Smith, Justin - Kissimmee, FL 217,700
9 Negreanu, Daniel - Las Vegas 203,700
10 Adams, Brandon - Miami, FL 190,000
11 Sointula, Jani - Helsinki Finland 184,800
12 Sonnert, Ben - Linkoping Sweden 184,600
13 Matusow, Mike - Las Vegas 180,300
14 Demidov, Ivan - Moscow Russia 176,200
15 Moreira, Tome - Porto Portugal 165,800
16 Alekhin, Stanislav - Moscow Russia 164,000
17 Williamsson, Christofer - Gothenberg Sweden 163,500
18 Fischman, Scott - Las Vegas 152,800

Poker Rule: The String Bet

This tip courtesy of OnlinePoker.com.

This came up yesterday during afternoon play at Johnny Joe's, a new player did not know what a string bet is, so for the few out there that are new, here is a good definition:

Tournament Director’s Association Rule 39: Dealers will be responsible for calling string raises (bets).

When you make a bet or a raise, you are required to make that bet in one motion. This means you cannot say put out 300 to call a bet and then go back to your stack to get more chips in order to raise. A two motion bet is called a string bet and will be (or should be) called by the dealer and not allowed.

However, the whole problem of string bets can be eliminated if you simply announce your bet. If you want to bet 500 and you say “500″, then you can drop your chips, misbet, knock your stack over or faint. The bet is 500 and there can be no string bet call made against you.

Also if you simply announce “Raise” you can put out the amount to make the call and then go back to your stack once to get the amount of chips you wish to raise. If any part of betting is unclear, then remember the golden rule: If you announce the amount of your bet, then that is the bet you have made and how you fumble or move your chips does not matter. You announced your bet and you get to make that bet.

Beginning players would be wise to make verbal calls and verbal raises to avoid and mistakes in moving your chips. Remember a string bet must be taken back but all of the players at the table know you wanted to make that bet, so they have additional information on your hand without having to call the string raise.

GSN: Poker Sundays Begins Tonight

GSN (Game Show Network) has a new lineup for Sunday nights that will be a poker fan pleaser. The network will pair High Stakes Poker and episodes of the World Poker Tour for back-to-back poker action starting Sunday, Sept. 28.

The evening begins with High Stakes Poker at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the World Poker Tour at 9 p.m.

"We think poker on Sunday night is a great way for viewers to end their weekend and begin their week," said Kevin Belinkoff, vice president of original programming and development at GSN. "With High Stakes Poker and World Poker Tour, we're proud to have the best poker in the world and we're looking forward to establishing Sunday night on GSN as the home of poker on television."

Barney Frank’s HR 6870 passes Committee vote

Article via We Do It All Vegas:

Since the implementation of the UIGEA in 2006, Congressman Barney Frank has done what ever is possible to stop the progress of the enforcement bill and to clarify its specific purpose by arguing that U.S government should not have the right to determine how the American citizens invest their time and money.

Yesterday, Congressman Frank introduced a proposed bill (HR 6870 or Payments System Protection Act) in its effort to amend the problems and confusion caused by the UIGEA and its and to give financial institutions a detailed definition of what is and is not considered an illegal online gambling activity.

When the bill was introduced to the committee yesterday, Representative William Lacy Clay criticized the arguments of several professional sports leagues, saying: “I’m alarmed that major league sports would come forward to announce their opposition to the Bill. I’m puzzled by their stance especially when you have legal sports books in Las Vegas. I can’t figure out what the difference is between Internet gambling and Las Vegas sports books.”

The good news is that Frank’s bill has been approved today by the House Committee on Financial Services and would push the Department of the Treasury and Federal Reserve System, in consultation with the Attorney General and a special Administrative Law Judge to classify and determine what really constitutes “unlawful online gambling” and initiate an economic a deep research and study on the fulfillment costs of the prohibition.

The enactment of the bill would delay the execution of the UIGEA through a process calculated to guarantee that the UIGEA regulations do not harm the operations of the U.S. payments system or wrongly prevent transactions considered legal.

The Committee also voted an amendment to a bill in where federal regulators are obligated to issue regulations to financial institutions to block transfers and transactions related to online sportsbetting and other gambling activities including online poker and casinos, with the exception of horse racing, dog racing and jai-alai. According to the new amendment, unlawful gambling operators would be specified by the U.S. Treasury on a list that would be check and revised by financial institutions to execute the prohibition.

Support Online Poker

The federal elections in the United States are less than 45 days away. This is the time, once every four years, when elected officials actually listen to voters. If you are a poker player and you want the right to play poker online, then you need to take two minutes to go to the Poker Player Alliance website and fill out this form, which will be sent to your Congress person and both of your Senators. This is a new legislative notice, if you have written in the past, please do it again today. Might I suggest that you add a line or two at the beginning of the pre-packaged message. Here is what I (Cranky Olde Coot from Pokerblog.com)wrote:

"This year, I am a single issue voter. You either fully support my right to play poker online or you are against me. No half-ass political double-speak. If you fully support the right of all Americans to do with their money and time whatever they see fit, then you have my vote. If you don't, then your opponent gets my vote. I wanted to keep it simple, so you understand. You are for us or against us and my vote will reflect your position. If I do not hear from you before the election or if you send some non-committal bullshit about further studies, I am voting for the other guy. I hope we are clear on this issue."

More US of A Poker Communism!

Ky. governor seeking to block online gambling

Wow, is this the United States or commmunist China? And this by a Democratic "pro-poker" Gov! Unreal!

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) _ Kentucky's pro-gambling governor is looking to make sure all bets are off for more than 140 online gambling Web sites that operate in the state known for the world's biggest horse race.

Gov. Steve Beshear said his administration has asked a Franklin County Circuit Court judge to give the state control of 141 gambling Web site domain names. Beshear said he's looking to restrict Kentuckians' access to Web sites with names that include some of the most popular gambling sites for U.S. players: bodoglife.com, doylesroom.com and fulltiltpoker.com.

A hearing is scheduled for Thursday before Judge Thomas Wingate.

Beshear believes Kentucky is the first in the country to attempt to block online gambling by taking over Web domain names of gambling sites.

"Unlike casinos that operate on land or on riverboats in the United States, these operations pay no tax revenues, provide no jobs and yield no tourism benefits," Beshear said at a Monday afternoon Capitol press conference. "They are leeches on our communities."

Kentucky, home to the Kentucky Derby, already has a state lottery and allows gambling at horse tracks and bingo halls. Blocking internet gambling sites in Kentucky would "protect the signature industry," Beshear said.

Such sites "siphon off money from regulated and legal games such as Kentucky's thoroughbred racing industry, our lottery and charitable gaming activities," Beshear said.

Although Kentucky officials did not have a definite estimate of how much money is being lost to online gambling in Kentucky, Beshear claimed residents were wagering millions online.

Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown said the state is asking the court to forfeit control of the domain names to Kentucky state government. Brown said if successful, the domain names would then controlled by Kentucky state government and subsequently blocked.

"There is gambling going on on the Internet and we know that that gambling is illegal in the commonwealth of Kentucky," Brown said.

Beshear, a Democrat, largely based his campaign for governor last year on a pledge to push for an amendment to the state constitution legalizing casino gambling in Kentucky. Beshear was unable to persuade Kentucky lawmakers earlier this year to put a proposed gambling amendment on the ballot this fall.

Read More...

Poker Players Alliance Press Release

Pokerati's Comments

Last Day: Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em

Today is the last day in Pennsylvania you will be permitted to smoke in pubs! Tonight (9/11) at midnight the ban goes into effect!

Sad DAY! However, there are over 700 business applying for state exemptions to the ban and those businesses that applied for one will be permitted to allow smoking until a decision is made on their application.

Patriot News Article:

With the state's smoking ban set to take effect at midnight, already 700 businesses have applied to be exempted from the law, said Dr. Calvin Johnson, Pennsylvania health secretary.

'I have no idea as to how many we should expect. I quite honestly think 700 is too many and I hope we don't get anymore," said Johnson at a Capitol news conference to announce the law on the eve of its effective date.

The law bans smoking indoors in most workplaces and public places, but carves out exceptions for such places as cigar bars, taverns where food sales comprise no more than 20 percent of their annual sales, up to 25 percent of rooms in hotels and portions of casino floors.

So far, no exemptions has been granted, he said. But businesses that applied for one will be permitted to allow smoking until a decision is made on their application, Johnson said.

Those who receive an exemption must apply annually, but steps will be taken to make that process as simple as possible for businesses, a health department official said.

Anti-smoking advocates in attendance at the news conference joined Johnson in hailing Thursday as a "great day for the health of all Pennsylvanians."

Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery County, who has fought for a smoking ban for 15 years, said the law will allow 95 percent of state workplaces to be smoke-free. Yet, he isn't content with that. He already is at work drafting legislation to be introduced in the next legislative session that starts in January to raise that percentage even higher.

He said someone asked him if he intended to celebrate the fruits of his 15 years of labor on this issue by lighting up a cigar on Thursday. If he does, he assured it would happen outside.

Hooters NASCAR Prize

Hooters NASCAR Poker Night - September 17th

Next Wednesday September 17th Hooters is having a special promotion for poker night. In addition to cash and gift certificates the winner will receive 2 tickets to the NASCAR Race at Dover. Tournament starts at 8PM registration starts at 7pm.

Visit http://717pokertour.com/

In a barely related note, this Tshirt rox!:


Thanks to BustedTees.com for the image!

Johnny Joe's Regular Wins Elsewhere

Congrats to our very own Brad "L." Limbacher, who incidentally is the current reigning champion for the latest Johnny Joe's Tournament, for winning Monday night at Hooters and getting posted on the Internet for his accomplishments... (Sadam a.k.a Cheech and Scott are on there as well!)

Good Job!

Photo courtesy of 717 Poker Tour

Eff Planters!

After watching ESPN's WSOP coverage the last few months, I have to yell out, I miss the DEGREE ALL IN MOMENT!


Fuck Planters intense whatchamcallit BS!!!!!!! Grrrrrrrr!

LAS VEGAS – June 05, 2007 – Harrah’s License Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:HET), has entered into an multi-year agreement with Kraft Foods Global Inc. (NYSE:KFT) to make Planters nuts an official sponsor of the World Series of Poker and the “official nut” of poker’s biggest event.

“The sponsorship is a great fit given that “the nuts” is a common poker phrase associated with having the best hand in any given situation,” said Stephen Chriss, director consumer promotions, Kraft Foods, Inc.

“We’re pleased to welcome Planters to the World Series of Poker family,” said Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker. “When it comes to support from leading consumer product companies, now we really do have the nuts.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the WSOP and to help promote the natural occasion of poker and Planters,” Chriss said.

08 WSOP Main Event on Tonight

Article courtesy of Poker Prof's Poker Blog....

Its the event we've all been waiting for. The first two hours of the scheduled twenty-two hours of coverage of the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Beginning tonight at 8 pm EST on ESPN (check schedules in your area for exact times) will be the granddaddy of all poker tournaments, the $10,000 WSOP No-Limit Hold'em World Championship. Every Tuesday we'll get two hours of the 2008 Main Event until November 11 when the final table is finally played and a 2008 Champion is crowned.

Dr. Pauly's daily recap for Day 1A and Day 1B is a must read for tonight's TV poker show. A selection of Flipchip photos from the 2008 WSOP main event Day 1A and 1B can be viewed here.

Mohegan Sun: Casino of the Wind Poker Room Opens

Mohegan Sun Opened their 42-Table Poker Room, $925Million Expansion on August 29th.
by PokerPages.com

Connecticut-based Mohegan Sun, already one of the largest gaming facilities in the world, will grow bigger when they unveil the first phase of their $925 million Casino of the Wind expansion. Mohegan's new 64,000-square-foot Casino of the Wind will feature a 42-table poker room, more than 650 slot machines, and 28 table games.



Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is set to open Sept. 29.

Mohegan's expansion continues to up the ante to secure new gamblers with nearby rival Foxwoods, as Foxwoods earlier this spring opened up a new MGM Grand addition.

"We are very excited to reveal Casino of the Wind to the world," said Mitchell Etess, President and CEO of Mohegan Sun. "The Rockwell Group, who have been our architects since the beginning in 1996, have outdone themselves. This may be their best work yet."

The new facility, which broke ground in June 2007, makes its much-anticipated debut on Friday, August 29th at 10:00am immediately following a Tribal blessing and ribbon cutting ceremony.

SPECIAL EVENTS TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING- ALL MONTH LONG

To celebrate the latest milestone in Mohegan Sun history, the property has planned a month-long celebration beginning October 1st. The festivities include a poker tournament with one of the largest guaranteed prize pools on the East Coast, daily car giveaways, signature drinks, stellar entertainment, celebrities and so much more.

$750,000 Guaranteed Tournament

It's 'Aces Up' in the new 42-table poker room with Mohegan Sun's first major poker tournament, featuring one of the largest guaranteed prize pools on the East Coast. Mohegan Sun's Super Stack Tournament, with a guaranteed prize pool of $750,000, will kick off with preliminary qualifying tournaments on October 1st, with finals being held October 22nd through 26th. For specifics on Mohegan Sun's Super Stack Tournament, visit mohegansun.com/wind.

Hollywood Comes to Connecticut

Mohegan Sun will roll out the red carpet in October, as various A-list celebrities will stop by to check out the new Casino of the Wind. From the red carpet to the poker and blackjack tables, spot your favorite celebrities throughout the month at Mohegan Sun. Check mohegansun.com/wind for all the latest updates on the grand opening celebrations.