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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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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WSOP Tournament of Champions Front-runners Revealed

Date: Thu, Apr 29, 2010

The World Series of Poker decided to open up the selection process to the fans in regards to which poker pros will get a very exclusive seat at this year’s Tournament of Champions event. Of the 27 spots in the tournament, 20 of those positions will be decided through online voting in what basically boils down to the ultimate poker popularity contest. Harrah’s, who is running and supervising the progress of the poll, has released the names of the players that currently make up the top 20 in voters eyes, with few surprises showing up in the mix.

One thing that all of the front-runners have in common is that they tend to get the lions share of the media and marketing support, making them the most recognizable faces in the game, but not necessarily the most successfully players in all cases. There doesn’t appear to be a single name on the list that belongs to a player that tends to stay out of the limelight, though I would have to figure that some players are getting a lot of votes due to more recent success.

Five players don’t have to worry about getting enough votes, as five spots were pre-reserved for the last three Tournament of Champions winners (Mike Sexton, Mike Matusow and Annie Duke), and the current WSOP (Joe Cada) and WSOPE (Barry Shulman) champions. The remaining two spots in the tournament are being held for sponsor exemptions, and it’s likely that these will be given away through massive qualifier tournaments online.

The TOC isn’t just about increasing their popularity either, 1st place will take home a cool $500,000, needing only to survive three tables worth of opponents in the process. Voting ends midnight on June 15th, with more than 250,000 votes cast so far.

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Florida Gets Major Poker Law Adjustment

Date: Wed, Apr 28, 2010

In case you haven’t been paying attention, poker in Florida is somewhat of a joke. The state currently has a number of odd restrictions put in place that greatly hamper the games made available to the players, including one law that places a $100 max buy-in cap on all cash games. So yeah, that means that some Florida card rooms were running $5 - $10 no-limit hold’em games where the participants could only buy-in for 10 big blinds. The terrible restrictions have been driving players crazy for years, but it now appears that finally some relief may be in sight.

The Florida House approved a new deal this week that will be uncapped poker to the state, as long as the governor signs off on the bill, which by all signs appears to be a certainty. Other changes that the deal brings includes the right for the Seminole tribe to operate slot machines and host blackjack games at five of their seven casinos, as well as extend the operating hours of the poker rooms. The changes are expected to bring in an estimated $1 billion for the state and tribe over the next five years.

“This is a big contribution and a big commitment,” said Rep. Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton), one of the main proponents for the bill in the House. “It’s not estimated, it’s not, ‘Well, we might be able to achieve this.’ This is a guarantee.”

For those of us outside Florida it seems almost impossible that poker would thrive in any state where experienced and professional players couldn’t put up more than $100 every time they sat down at the table, but it was a harsh reality for Florida residents. Hopefully this deal gets ushered in as fast as possible so that they can save some money that was typically spent on trips to Atlantic City and Vegas to get some real card action.

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Let the Game Set Your Goals

Date: Wed, Sep 16, 2009

It is really easy as a poker player to get used to making a certain amount when you sit down at the poker table. For example, when I play 2/5 NL Hold’em I am used to profiting about $500 per session, so when I get into the game I have expectations that I need to make that much in profit. However, poker isn’t a game of certainties and no one should go into the game expecting to make any amount. Each game has different players, different cards, and a different set of circumstances that change the amount you can expect to attain from a game. For this reason, you can’t expect to double up every time you have a winning session, nor should you be content with that amount of profit.

There have been times when I’ve sat in a horrible game and I’m only showing $100 profit for the night. Instead of getting up and being content that I’ve made any profit at all, I’m thinking to myself, “If only I can catch a good hand and get up to $300 profit I’ll leave.” This is a big mistake on my part because I’m putting all the emphasis on the amount of money I want to win instead of the fabric of the game. Lets put this into real life perspective. Consider that I had been sitting at that horrible game for 8 hours, and I am showing $100 profit for the night. That means that I have made $12.50 an hour. If you are living in the United States where there are record high unemployment rates, and many people are forced to work for minimum wage then $100 in your pocket is nothing to scoff at.

If you are sitting in a bad game and are up a little bit, don’t be ashamed of a small win. It is ok to take your small win and go back the next day. The same is true if the cards just aren’t going your way.
Sometimes there are nights where it seems like you are always getting second best. If you are up a little bit in the game, take your win and run! There will always be another game and another day to play.

The same rule applies for winning nights as well. If you are on a really good game and are crushing the table you shouldn’t sell yourself short by just being happy with a double up. In these circumstances you want to maximize your profits and stick it out while the game is still good. If you set a goal before you ever sit on the table, you are missing out on easy money. When you start feeling like the game is going bad then get up. These are the sessions that will really spruce up your bankroll.

When playing poker as a living or playing to build a bankroll, these decisions are critical for the longevity of your position. It is a losing proposition to think, “I have to make this much today,” or “I have to make this much this week.” There are no guarantees in poker, so you shouldn’t set yourself up for failure by setting a predisposed goal when you sit down at the table. Let the conditions of the table and how you are playing decide when you should and shouldn’t get up from the table.

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Tip Of The Week - Odd Cash Outs

Date: Tue, Sep 15, 2009

It has been a long day of poker, and you’re up $236. You get ready to rack up your chips, but decide that you’re going to play the extra $36 because that money seems insignificant at the moment. If you lose the $36 it was no big deal, but if you get up to $300 it was well worth it. More often than not you will lose the $36 and cash out at $200. However, that extra $36 could have been used for gas money for the week. Over the course of a week, a month, or a year that extra $36 really adds up.

The other common mistake is that players will be up $295 and won’t get up until they get over $300. There is some strange thought process that makes us want to cash out at an even number. This thought process can get a player in trouble. It is kind of like running a marathon, when the end is in sight runners will start to sprint to the finish line, but they don’t realize they are still quite far from the finish line and wear themselves out right at the end. Then the runners that are pacing themselves end up finishing first. When you are sitting at $295 and trying to get to $300 you will have to invest a fair amount just to get to your $300 goal. You are so close, yet so far away that it is more profitable to just get up at the $295. More often than not, you will make up the $5 later in the week anyways.

I recently conducted an experiment to see how much money I would actually be up if I had just cashed out when I was ready to go instead of cashing out at an even amount. Over the course of a week these odd end cashes amounted to $277. At the end of the month this had accumulated to over $600. This extra money could be used to offset any losses, or it could be used to add to brankroll and living expenses.

If you are one of those players, like I am, who has trouble figuring out what percentage of my bankroll should go towards extra things, this is a good way to figure it out. If you are ready to cash out from the table and you have $274 in profit, take $200 and put it towards your bankroll or bills, and take the $74 to put towards your extra spending money. This is a great incentive to get you to get up from the table when you are ready to go, and it gives you a way to keep the things that you want from affecting your bankroll.

A lot of poker players are a little OCD about cashing out at an even number. A friend of mine has this problem and after realizing how much money he was giving away by not cashing out at an odd number he started stacking his chips in a way he wouldn’t be able to have an accurate count on his chips. He would have an idea of how much he had, but he wasn’t able to have a precise count by just looking at his chips. When he was ready to cash out of the game, he would just rack up and take off with his extra profit. After a year of doing this he was able to take that extra money from his cashouts and put it towards a new car.

The old adage, “A penny saved is a penny earned,” is definitely applicable in this situation. The difference is that $20 saved can potentially be $1,000 or more earned down the road. Try the experiment yourself and see if it works out for you. If you are having a losing week or month, you might be pleasantly surprised to see that the odd cash outs helped to offset your losses. If you are having a winning week or month, you might be delighted to have an extra $600 to buy something you’ve been wanting.

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Gus wins more than just poker

Date: Mon, Sep 14, 2009

Gus Hansen, the record three-time World Poker Tour open winner, can breathe a sigh of relief after a press release, issued by Safenames Ltd, confirmed that he has regained control over the website GusHansen.com.

The news comes after a long ownership battle between Safenames Ltd, a company that specializes in domain name disputes (acting for Gus Hansen), and Yevgen Kudashov, the man who previously owned GusHansen.com.

Kudashov apparently went to great lengths to convince the public that he was Gus Hansen, using images and other likenesses to do it. Safenames Ltd managed to prove that Kudashov had registered the domain name in bad faith and in doing so, infringed on Hansen’s personal name and common law mark – even though, at the time of filing, Hansen hadn’t actually registered a trademark on his own name.

Prudence Malinki, Head Counsel at Safenames Ltd, said following the decision: "We
are very pleased that Safenames was able to win this dispute for Mr. Hansen.
I believe that that this ruling will pave the way for other famous
individuals and celebrities to recover domain names registered to third
parties who are profiting from registering domains that contain their famous
personal names."

‘The Great Dane’ will be hoping that regaining control of GusHansen.com can boost his cash flow. He is reportedly $2.2 million in the red.

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