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PokerStars Kicks Off 2014 World Championship of Online Poker Series

                PokerStars has just kicked off the 2013 edition of the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). The renowned tournament series will run throughout the month of September and is set to mark one of the most exciting and lucrative events of the year.
                The 2013 WCOOP sports a $40 million guaranteed prize pool that will be distributed amongst more than 60 individual events. These games will have buy-ins set as low as $109 to as high as $10,300. Some of the most interesting features from the enormous games line-up are the competitions embedded within the series as a whole. These include Woman of the Series, a leaderboard race that will provide top-ranked female players with PokerStars Caribbean Adventure prize packages, and Player of the Series, which offers a wide range of PokerStars live tournament prize packages to the top overall WCOOP players. The whole series will be capped off with a $5,200 buy-in no limit hold 'em main event that will take place over two days, provide at least $1.25 million for the first place finisher, and feature no less than $8 million in the table's pot.
                A statement from PokerStars called the World Championship of Online Poker "the longest-running online poker series". The company said that the series is "regarded by players and media as a 'must-play' event [where] world class poker pros [compete] against aspiring recreational players." The 2013 World Championships of Online Poker will run from Sunday, 9th until Sunday, 29th September.

Bodog Poker Offers Players Entry to the 2014 World Series of Poker

                The poker world's most highly anticipated event — the World Series of Poker (WSOP) — is less than three months away and, to celebrate it, Bodog Poker is helping send its players to the illustrious series.
                2013 marks the 44th edition of the annual WSOP series, the event kicking off on 6th July and running through 15th July at Las Vegas' Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. With an enormous prize pool (speculated to be even larger than the 2012 WSOP's $62 million pool) up for grabs the tournament will no doubt attract many of poker's biggest stars. Bodog wants to make the event accessible to talented players who are unable to buy into the WSOP's $10,000 main event as well. To this end the online poker platform has just launched a series of satellite tournaments that award prize packages (worth an estimated $15,000) and main event entry. For stakes as low as $1.10 players can battle it out for a shot at a prize package containing $5,000 in cash, the $10,000 main event buy-in, a plethora of Bodog swag and a meeting with one of Team Bodog's sponsored pros upon arrival in Las Vegas.
                Bodog Poker told press that it was excited to offer its players a shot at the 2013 World Series of Poker main event, "where fortunes are won and legends are made." Bodog's promo series runs from 2nd April to 23rd June, offering more than 2,000 qualifiers and weekly satellite tournaments.

Black Card Loyalty System Returns to Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker has been on a fast track toward getting its site back in order ever since its relaunch late last year. Now, with the return of its Black Card loyalty rewards, it's finally catering to the most devoted online poker players on the web again.

The Black Card loyalty program is intended to reward Full Tilt's most prolific competitors with cash and prizes. The relaunched system will allow members of Full Tilt Poker to convert the site's Full Tilt Points into real money. It will also offer players who have achieved VIP status at other sites to join in on the program through a "VIP Amnesty" incentive set to run during the entire month of April. Any player able to produce a photograph proving their VIP status at another poker platform is eligible for entry to the Black Card program. Full Tilt will also be giving its members even better reasons to vie for Black Card status by offering performance-based sponsorship contracts to the most talented players on record during the last six months of play. Black Card holders will be able to help shape the manner by which performance is ranked when the sponsorships are launched this July.

Sarne Lightman, Full Tilt Poker's Head of Marketing, told press that the VIP Amnesty program was designed to give those affected by Full Tilt's non-operational months a chance to return to the site without losing the status they've gained at competing online poker platforms. The move to accommodate them is a great step toward making Full Tilt Poker the ideal home for serious poker players.

PokerStars Offers a First Look at the 2014 Spring Championship of Online Poker Schedule

Online poker players excited for some news on PokerStars' annual Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) have just been provided with a first look at the 2013 edition of the series. While the schedule PokerStars has recently released is subject to change in the future, the poker network has offered an initial draft that showcases its current plans for this spring's events.

The tentative 2013 SCOOP schedule looks to drastically expand on previous years offerings, featuring a tremendous 42 events and a total of 126 individual tournaments in all. Aside from this change much of the upcoming SCOOP will remain similar to prior schedules. Players will be able to compete in styles of poker including badugi, Omaha hi-lo, no-limit draw, seven card stud, no-limit hold 'em and more. Each of the games will also allow PokerStars members to compete through either low, medium or high buy-in tiers, a decision meant to make SCOPP inclusive to all contenders, regardless of bankroll size.

In order to make this year's SCOOP the best it can possibly be PokerStars is also asking its fans to send their comments and suggestions to the site. PokerStars plans to incorporate some of these suggestions to the schedule in order to refine its tournament offerings before finalizing in the weeks to come. As it stands now, the 2013 Spring Championship of Online Poker is set to kick off on Sunday 12 May with a six max no-limit hold 'em tourney and wrap up on Sunday 26 May with the main event's conclusion.

Ladbrokes Prepares to Move to iPoker Network

                Ladbrokes, one of the industry's most popular online gaming and sportsbooking platform, has announced plans to move from its current home at MPN/Microgaming to the iPoker network. The gaming site's decision comes as the result of a deepening business relationship with the latter company and will be carried out gradually.  
                The move to iPoker does not yet have a concrete date, but Ladbrokes has stressed that players should not experience any jarring changes during the process. The first step in the transition demonstrates the truth of these claims, Ladbrokes adding a Vegas tab (leading to several of the newly offered Playtech games) to their platforms while otherwise leaving the core experience intact. Ladbrokes will continue shifting their services from Microgaming to iPoker as their contractual obligations to the former network begin to expire. The transition to iPoker-based online poker has been revealed as the next step in the ongoing process.
                Mor Weizer, Playtech's CEO, told press that he is excited for a future that sees "Ladbrokes' brand strength [and] core technology" combined with "Playtech's proven track record in growing digital revenues." Investors seem to agree, a fact evidenced by Ladbrokes' share prices increasing some 6.5% (the company's highest share value since 2008) following the move's announcement. Once Ladbrokes finishes its transition to iPoker it will exist as part of the same network as prominent sites like Titan Poker, bet365, Paddy Power Poker and William Hill.

Jay Tan Renews Bodog Poker Sponsorship Deal

                Jay Tan, one of the poker world's most recognizable up and comers, has just announced the renewal of her sponsorship agreement with Bodog Poker. Following a fantastic win at the recently concluded Aussie Millions Tan has signed on for at least one more year of representing Bodog at the tables.
                Jay Tan, born in California and raised in both Hong Kong and Sydney, has made a big name for herself since moving on from a burgeoning career in investment banking to playing professional level poker full time. Tan holds a Masters of Business in Finance and Accounting, speaks three languages and has cashed at renowned live series like the Asian Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker. Her most recent accomplishment took place at the 2013 Aussie Millions Main Event, an event that saw Tan finishing 7th overall at the final table. The win earned Tan $150,000 AUD, bringing her total live tournament take to a considerable $252,707.
                Bodog's President, Jonas Odman, called Jay Tan "an integral part of the ongoing Bodog Poker story" and said that his company is "thrilled to have her back on board for another year." Tan echoed Odman's enthusiasm, stating that "becoming a sponsored player has always been a dream" and that she "[feels] very at home with Bodog and [is looking] forward to carrying on where [she] left off" with her sponsorship.

Titan Poker Gears Up for New iPoker Online Series with Satellite Qualifiers

The iPoker Online Poker Series (iPOPS) is getting ready to return for its fourth edition this spring and Titan Poker, one of iPoker's most popular online poker platforms, is helping to promote the series through a selection of satellite qualifiers.

This year's iPOPS features a guaranteed $1.2 million prize pool spread across fifteen main event games (both lower stakes Mini games and the higher stakes Major series). Those who are talented enough to finish at any of the iPOPS main event tables will be eligible to compete in a free $500,000 tournament at the end of the series. In order to assist site members in gaining access to the competition Titan Poker has launched a series of satellites that will award entry to the iPOPS games — both Mini and Major. Interested Titan players can enter into one of the regularly scheduled satellites at nearly any time of the day to find iPOPS qualifiers.

The iPoker Network also includes notable online poker sites such as BetFair Poker, William Hill Poker, bet365 and Paddy Power Poker. Members of these sites should be sure to check for further iPOPS promotions in the weeks to come. The iPoker Online Poker Series Mini events will run from 21st to 27th April while the Major series is scheduled for 28th April to 5th May.

Lucky PokerStars Players Win Massive Cash Prizes at Recent Sunday Million Seventh Anniversary

PokerStars has just made three of its players a good deal richer — and happier — through its most recent Sunday Million tournament. The enormous prize pool won by the talented online poker players topped out at $9,857,400 and marked the end of the 327th Sunday Million.

The winners were part of the Sunday Million Seventh Anniversary event, a special version of the typical Sunday Million tournament that promised enormous cash prizes. The three competitors in question, Germany's 'Kasra84', Lithuania's 'benislovas' and Britain's 'sexygee', split an impressive $2.5 million in cash after battling their way across a total pool of nearly 50,000 players over 15 hours of tournament play. More than six thousand players managed to cash, but it was the three PokerStars members mentioned above who benefitted the most from the event. After the dust settled on the final table benislovas received $848,589, sexygee $836,321 and Kasra84 $813,370. While the top three winners took home the most impressive prizes they weren't the only ones to leave the Sunday Million Seventh Anniversary with significantly larger bankrolls. Norway's 'n0rflip' managed fourth place and $358,809, 'stradale430', an Austrian competitor, placed sixth in the event and took home $181,376 while Cyprus' 'pellompogos' placed fifth and received $254,320.

PokerStars' Sunday Million Seventh Anniversary marks the third largest Sunday Million to date. The tournament series saw a total of 49,827 players competing for over $9 million in cash.

PokerStars Reaches 95 Billion Hands, Awards 'Road to 100 Billion' Promo Prizes

The ongoing Road to 100 Billion promotion is causing plenty of excitement at PokerStars, especially as the popular online poker network inches closer to the monumental goal. Most recently the site managed to hit 95 billion hands dealt and awarded the lucky participants of the hand accordingly.

Nine players sitting down at a PokerStars $0.08/$0.16 no limit hold 'em full ring table game were fortunate enough to be involved with the site's 95 billionth hand. PokerStars celebrated the occasion by awarding each of these members with $10,000 and, if that wasn't enough, extra money matched in proportion to their most recently earned loyalty points. When the 95th billionth hand was started Lee Jones, PokerStars' Head of Poker Communications, helped kick off the festivities. The hand itself saw a British player ('RichB17') win with a straight, a competitor called 'Domy07' take the side pot and 'pacheko23980' emerge as the landmark hand's runner-up. Aside from the 95th billionth hand itself, The Road to 100 Billion promotion awarded nearly $900,000 over a single week of play.

A statement from PokerStars described the company's awarding of "a total of $892,718 over 300 Milestone hands and the final Mega Milestone hand." It went on to kick off the excitement for The Road to 100 Billion's finale by predicting its "[culmination] in June [and] an even bigger prize giveaway" to be "revealed in the spring."

PokerStars Brings Back Its World Blogger Championship of Online Poker for 2013

                PokerStars' World Blogger Championship of Online Poker (WBCOOP), one of the most unusual recurring tournament series in online gaming, is set to return this spring. This eighth installment of the event is scheduled to take place over eleven days and will consist of more than thirty unique tournament games.  
                The 2013 WBCOOP is, as before, meant to reward poker fans with a love of writing about their favourite game. To enter the competition PokerStars members must submit a blog post or video describing one of their most memorable experiences at the site's virtual tables before sharing their submission through social media. Anyone who does this will receive tickets for WBCOOP's range of tournaments while also being eligible for prizes set aside for the Best Live Tweeter ($1,000), Best Blogger ($1,000) and Best Female Blogger ($500). Additional rewards will also be available through a leaderboard race that tracks the top competitors in each tournament. The 31 WBCOOP games will feature great cash prizes and a large main event, too. PokerStars' professional players will also be taking part in the games. Stars like Nacho Barbero, Chris Moneymaker, Liv Boeree and Lex Veldhuis have all confirmed their participation in the WBCOOP. Any player lucky enough to take one of them down will receive a $22 bounty.
                Liv Boeree, one of the PokerStar pros mentioned above, spoke highly of the 2013 WBCOOP. She mentioned that she was personally invested in the events due to "having worked for poker media in the past."  "I wouldn't be surprised if some of this year's WBCOOP champions go on to win even bigger tournaments in the future," Boeree added.

PKR.com Debuts Real Money iPhone Poker App

                PKR.com has always been quick to take advantage of the most exciting new technologies involved with online poker. With the recent launch of real money games for its iPhone application the popular platform looks to continue doing so by further branching out into mobile gaming.
                PKR recently unveiled its iPad app, complete with a number of portable games alongside its trademark player avatars, and now plans to continue its Apple support with an iPhone version of its site. The new edition of the
PKR.com iOS app allows any iPhone owner to play real money sit and go or ring matches without having to access a computer. Multi-table tournaments (and multi-tabling features) are also being worked on as priorities for the next update. Currently, only British PKR members can access the app, though the company has spoken about its plans to bring both the iPad and iPhone software to the rest of the world in the future. PKR also confirmed that the development of another rendition of the app — this one meant for Android-based smartphones — continues to move forward.
                A cheeky statement from PKR called the launch of the iPhone app "another leap forward" in the company's "plan for world mobile poker domination." The press release went on to say that the app was a great way for "owners of any generation of iPhone" to get a game of poker in during a "morning commute, lunch queue" or even a "business meeting [if] you have a great poker face." The
PKR.com iPhone app is now available as a free download from the Apple App Store.

Full Tilt Poker Ups the Ante with Daily Guaranteed Tournaments

                Popular online poker network Full Tilt Poker has just become the only platform to offer its players prize guarantees for every one of its tournament games. This change has come about due to a full-scale tournament schedule revision meant to make playing at Full Tilt more lucrative than ever before.
                The new schedule has already been implemented and will see the month of March filled with chances for talented players to win huge cash prizes. This month alone features a packed events calendar and tournament prize pools with more than $25 million in cash up for grabs. These games will consist of multi-entry, re-entry, Rush and multi-chance tourneys, set to appear at different times throughout each day of the week. Full Tilt Poker is coupling these events with a full line-up of satellite games as well. These qualifiers are meant to help every one of the site's players, regardless of the size of their bankroll, to get involved with the new tournament schedule. Sarne Lightman, Full Tilt Poker's Head of Marketing, has described the new tournament schedule as "another market first" that offers "players the only guaranteed schedule of any online site."
                The move toward so many cash games — an impressive roster of 225 cash events maximum per day with no less than one guaranteed tournament per ten minutes — is likely to help boost Full Tilt Poker's profile in the weeks to come. Interested players should head to the site now to see what's currently on offer or check back later in March for further additions to Full Tilt's tournament schedule.

Sky Poker Makes Sky Sports News Presenter Charlotte Jackson Its Latest Poker Ambassador

                Sky Poker's line-up of brand ambassadors has just grown by one as the result of a recent signing. The online poker network has now announced the addition of Sky Sports personality Charlotte Jackson to its roster of professional spokespeople.
                Charlotte Jackson, a 33 year old poker player who uses the name "CharlotteJ" at the tables, comes to Sky Poker with plenty of previous experience in working with the media network. Jackson is perhaps best known as a presenter for Sky Sports News where she has been a vocal support of Liverpool FC. She is also a singer, athlete and, of course, poker player. According to Sky's bio Jackson has "enjoyed [poker] for a couple of years and [has] friends who are doing very well on the UK poker circuit" who are sure to help her further improve her ability to compete against the site's most talented players. Sky Poker members can look out for Jackson at the tables for their own shot at taking down the celebrity brand ambassador. Jackson has signed on to represent Sky Poker throughout 2013 and will be complementing her online play with appearances on Sky Poker TV broadcasts.
                A press release from Sky Poker described Jackson's experience as a county level lacrosse and tennis player as an indicator of her love of competition. Those interested in trying their luck against Charlotte "CharlotteJ" Jackson can log on now to try to spot an opportunity to play against the celebrity.

Full Tilt Poker Nears American Payment Decision, Plans .eu Domain Launch

                Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the American group helping to guide disgruntled Full Tilt Poker players through the reimbursement process that followed 2011's Black Friday legal scandal, has reported some progress in its work with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The good news surrounding Full Tilt Poker continues with word of the company's plan to launch a new .eu domain.
                The PPA recently informed concerned players of the US DOJ's efforts to determine who would administer the payout reimbursement process. Once the American government has decided on who the best administrator may be it can then begin to process claims and end the Black Friday troubles that have seen Full Tilt's members left out in the cold while trying to cash out their bankroll. While Full Tilt players from other nations have been reimbursed following the company's PokerStars buyout, Americans continue to wait for the DOJ to find a way to return their funds. Now, the PPA forecasts an impending DOJ announcement that will help get the process moving.
                The upcoming launch of a new Full Tilt Poker domain may make the site more appealing for Europeans, too. Following in the footsteps of its owner, PokerStars, Full Tilt is working toward establishing a .eu platform that would provide players in nations such as Germany, Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands with tax free winnings. The new .eu site will avoid certain European income tax laws and allow some Full Tilt Poker players to cash out their earnings without having to subtract a portion of their money.

Irish Open Mini Main Event Seats Available Through Paddy Power Poker Satellites

                With the 2013 edition of the Irish Open fast approaching poker players interested in attending should be ready to take advantage of any opportunity to make their way to the competition. Luckily, Paddy Power Poker has just announced a way for talented site members to win their way into the Irish Open Mini Main Event.
                Paddy Power's Irish Open Mini Main Event promotion provides players with a series of qualifiers that award entry to the upcoming events. The satellites consist of no-limit hold 'em rebuy/add on games that allow competitors to test their skill against others through a €11 buy-in. These satellites are scheduled to take place at 8 'o clock PM each Tuesday throughout the month of March. Winners will receive a prize package that gives them entry to the Irish Open Mini Main Event, a tournament that takes place over two days at Dublin's Burlington Hotel and requires a €225 fee for those who opt to buy-in directly. The Mini Main Event, one of the Irish Open's 11 side events, sees competitors start out with 10,000 in chips and will maintain a fast pace through a half hour clock.
                A statement from Paddy Power Poker predicted that "the Irish Open Mini Main Event is likely to be one of the most popular tournaments at the festival" due to its "great structure, affordable buy-in" and the fact that it takes place during the holidays. The Irish Open Mini Main Event kicks off on 31st March, 2013. Paddy Power Poker satellites have already begun.

PKR.com Covers the World Poker Tour National Dublin Main Event in Style

The World Poker Tour (WPT) National Dublin tournament is quickly approaching and is set to be one of the most exciting events of next winter. In order to properly celebrate the series, online poker network PKR.com has unveiled plans to cover the games with live streaming and expert commentary.

WPT National Dublin will take place early next month, running from 3rd to 6th January at the Irish city's Citywest Hotel. Many players are anticipating the series' €1,320 buy-in main event, the climatic end of a fierce competition that will see some of Europe's top players duking it out for bragging rights and a large cash prize. PKR.com, having successfully live streamed last year's main event, has announced plans to do the same for the 2013 edition. The site plans to bring in professional players like Jesse May to analyze the action as it happens while also hosting "side event" games that allow PKR members to watch tables (starting as low as €60 and maxing out at €2,700) that will bring extra enjoyment to the viewing experience. Lastly, PKR will also be streaming pre-finals events like the €2,700 Buy-in Double Chance High-Roller that will help determine which competitors make it to the main event itself.

PKR.com Pro, Vladimir Geshkenbein, told press that "the mix of PKR qualifiers, locals and top pros" featured at WPT National Dublin should "[create] pure entertainment" and predicted that the coverage will make for a "perfect start to the year."

Paddy Power Poker Adds Extra Irish Open 2013 Prize Packages

Paddy Power Poker players who are eager to take part in next spring's Irish Open 2013 tournament are being given more chances to win their way into the series.

Until now Paddy Power Poker has been offering up three Irish Open 2013 prize packages each week. A great fan reception has led the online poker network to increase the excitement surrounding the satellites, though, and now four packages will be handed out every Sunday evening. These prize packages consist of transportation money (worth €525), a five night stay at Dublin's Burlington Hotel (a €395 value) and, of course, a seat at the Irish Open's main event. Players can buy into the satellites directly for €176. This buy-in also includes access to the Sole Survivor promotion running alongside the qualifiers, an event that provides competitors who hold out the longest in each night's satellite with main event seats for the Irish Open 2014 and World Series of Poker 2013 as well as €50,000 in cash.

Paddy Power Poker explained that increasing the scale of its Irish Open 2013 satellites was due to "the appetite players have to take part" in the series — something attributed to this year's reduced buy-in costs and the addition of the Sole Survivor promo. The Irish Open is one of Europe's longest running tournament series and is scheduled to take place at Dublin, Ireland's Burlington Hotel from 29th March through until 1st April, 2013.

PKR.com's PKR TV Records More Than 500,000 Total Views

PKR.com always attempts to provide online poker players with something different. From the site's emphasis on a lively avatar system to its PKRTV videos, fans have rewarded PKR's innovative business practices with plenty of attention and praise.

The most recent demonstration of PKR's success involves PKRTV, the platform's dedicated YouTube channel. PKR.com recently celebrated the popularity of PKRTV after achieving more than 500,000 video views, a feat that proves the value of the channel to the site's fans. PKRTV features expert gameplay commentary and analysis from members of Team PKR Pro and is presented by Dan Grant and Rachael Downie. A diverse line-up of shows, ranging from footage of prestigious tournaments to poker tips and strategies meant to improve a viewer's poker game, have helped PKRTV to garner acclaim both on the web and through international Poker Channel broadcasts. To date, PKR.com has recorded and presented incredible wins from the final tables of events like PKR Masters, capturing high level play for casual or serious video reference.

PKR.com's Media Manager, Dan Grant, explained that PKRTV was started with the goal of recording memorable moments like beautifully executed tournament wins or "huge cash game bluffs." Grant went on to describe PKR's commitment to providing "every level of PKR.com player" with access to professional analysis of these moments in order to share the excitement — and learning opportunities — offered by their recordings.

New bet365 Poker Promotion Offers Cash Prizes and a Free Car

bet365 Poker is hoping to make this holiday season a memorable one for many of its members through the launch of a brand new Christmas themed promotion. Composed of a series of raffles and tournaments, the $100,000 Xmas Giveaway is set to award the site's luckiest and most talented members with fantastic prizes.

The $100,000 Xmas Giveaway, just recently launched, will run throughout most of the month of December and is designed to give back to some of bet365 Poker's most active competitors. Members of the online poker network can take part in Xmas Giveaway by earning as many bet365 Merit Points as possible while playing at Premium Table sit-and-gos or special tournaments. Every 15 of these points can be cashed in for a raffle ticket to be used in daily prize draws that award iPads, iPhones and a large number of cash prizes. There are no limitations on how many tickets a player can choose to enter each day and a dedicated Xmas Giveaway section has been added to the lobby to help members keep track of their points. bet365 Poker members who manage to accumulate at least 500 Merit Points will also be entered in a grand prize raffle (to be held on Friday, 28th December) that will provide entrants with a shot at winning one of three Mini First cars.

bet365 Poker's Xmas Giveaway press release urged members to "get as many tickets as [they] can in order to increase [their chances] of winning" before December comes to an end. The $100,000 Xmas Giveaway kicked off on Saturday, 2nd December and stops awarding tickets on Thursday, 27th December.

PKR.com Cashes Out $400,000 Jackpot, Achieves Five Million Registered Members

PKR.com has had a very eventful week, the online poker network celebrating a major business milestone and awarding two lucky members with massive cash payouts.

Donegal, Ireland's "jayleigh76" has just received a $408,479 windfall after wagering only twenty cents at one of PKR.com's slot side games. The player, a 36 year old mother of two, hit the biggest progressive jackpot ever amassed at PKR.com by playing on PKR's Adventures in Wonderland slot. After triggering the jackpot jayleigh76 reported that her big win felt "surreal" and that she plans to take her children to Disneyland with some of her earnings. The same day saw another Irish player, "lucky4345" from Belfast, take home the Chain Reactors Super Trails progressive slot for a $63,514.

jayleigh76's and lucky4345's wins came just after PKR.com achieved the landmark of signing on a total of five million players. PKR.com's Marketing Director Simon Prodger reported that the company is "delighted" at arriving at the 5M milestone and looking forward to "continuing to welcome more and more poker players" through upcoming "marketing initiatives, product developments" and its "first mobile poker product." Prodger acknowledged the consistent growth of registered members that have flocked to the site since its launch only six years ago and went on to attribute the ongoing success of PKR.com to its innovative software offerings and business approach.

Gus Hansen Returns to Full Tilt Poker as Brand Ambassador

Since its purchase by former competitor, PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker has appeared to be overcoming its troubled past and embracing a brighter future. As a sign of its renewed place as a major player in the online poker market, the site has re-hired former brand ambassador Gus Hansen.

A year ago it would have been difficult to imagine that Full Tilt Poker would recover from its legal troubles to the point that it would once again be hiring poker professionals as sponsors again, but this is exactly what the site has recently reported. When Full Tilt re-opens for business on 6th November, allowing members to wager real money again, it will also have Denmark's Gus 'The Great Dane' Hansen helping to spread word of its resurrection. Hansen is an highly accomplished poker player, having won three World Poker Tour titles, a World Series of Poker Europe bracelet and the 2007 Aussie Millions' main event. He has also earned more than $11.2 million throughout his career and previously enjoyed sponsorship as one of Full Tilt Poker's Red Pro members. With the re-launch of his sponsor site Hansen will be returning to his old job as a brand ambassador to a website that is in dire need of a public relations boost.

Sarne Lightman, Full Tilt Poker's Marketing Head, told press that his company is "thrilled to have [Hansen] return as an ambassador" while hinting at upcoming promotions and the addition of even more professionals to Full Tilt's sponsored team. Gus Hansen himself said that he is "very excited to represent the industry's most authentic poker brand" and that returning to Full Tilt Poker "[felt] like coming home."

PokerStars Provides 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Details

                The 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) looks to provide poker professionals and spectators alike with one of the most exciting events of the typically dull fall and winter months. With 40 events spread out over ten days this January, the upcoming PCA should give poker fans plenty to look forward to.
                PokerStars has begun to provide more PCA 2013 details, describing the shape of the tournament series itself as well as some of the already established qualifying events. The PCA is set to kick off on 5th January, 2013 and will take place at the Atlantis in the Bahamas' Paradise Island Resort and Casino. The series will consist of a wide array of events, including daily no limit hold'em turbos, tournaments such as a $5,000 no limit hold'em six max, $1,000 Omaha eight, Horse and triple stud games. The PCA's tenth anniversary will be celebrated through ten Signature Trophy Events as well — a range of tournaments that include the $100,000 Super High Roller and PCA 2013's $10,000 Main Event.  
                PokerStars will also be sending some of its most skilled site members to PCA 2013 through a lengthy ten week promotional series that is set to hand out one hundred prize packages that include entry to the main event, accommodations, flight expenses and more. New mobile challenges, leaderboard races and $10 buy-in qualifying tournaments will all offer ways to win cash and/or entry to the 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

Full Tilt Poker Executive Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges

The worst of the Black Friday legal indictments may be over for many companies, but for some of the key players in the debacle the real implications of the scandal may have just begun. 41 year old Nelson Burtnick, the former payment processing director for Full Tilt Poker, has just plead guilty to charges of conspiracy related to his company's seizure by American authorities last year.

Burtnick, a Canadian citizen who lived in Dublin, Ireland while working for Full Tilt, was one of the eleven indicted by the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice on Black Friday. He was charged with "conspiracy to deceive U.S. financial institutions" and, last month, turned himself in to authorities to stand trial for his alleged crimes. At a hearing in the U.S. Federal District Court last Wednesday, Burtnick plead guilty to his charges, admitting that he and other Full Tilt employees had fraudulently processed e-cheques, miscoded credit card transactions and hidden gambling funding transfers through third-party payment processors. These illegal actions were taken in an effort to hide billions of dollars of Full Tilt Poker transactions from the U.S. government and avoid running afoul of American anti-Internet gambling laws.

Nelson Burtnick testified that, even though he "knew what [he] did was wrong" he "had to do this type of deception to enable U.S. poker players to load their accounts with funds." Burtnick's sentencing will take place on 19th December, 2012 and could result in a punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

PKR.com Expands PKRTV with New Comedy Videos

One of the best aspects of PKR.com comes from the online poker site’s concentration on creating great original video content. The latest announcement from PKR recognizes this, adding a brand new comedy series to the company’s YouTube-based PKRTV.
The light-hearted show stars Ashley Hames and other poker fans attempting to keep a straight face while being distracted in extreme ways. In homage to the difficulty of maintaining a neutral “poker face” while under immense pressure, the PKRTV program features Hames and crew doing their best to remain unfazed by splashes of water, slaps and, most notably, being pelted with the components of a full English breakfast. The new comedy episodes join PKRTV’s regular line-up of videos, bringing some laughs to the channel’s existing body of interviews with poker professionals and video captures from the high-profile online games and big wins played out through the
PKR.com website. Expanding on PKRTV is part of a larger push toward making PKR.com an ideal home for poker fans of all types. Along with electronic versions of PKR’s Stacked magazine, PKRTV is meant to help create and foster a community of live and online players who can discuss their love of the game with others through a single multimedia network.
A statement from
PKR.com described the company’s ongoing efforts toward striking the right “balance between online and live play”, a process wherein PKR hopes to provide quality entertainment for “everyone in the community.”  PKRTV is available through PKR.com’s YouTube channel of the same name.

PokerStars Announces Full Tilt Poker Purchase

The long period of legal and financial trouble that has plagued Full Tilt Poker has finally reached a definite conclusion with the online poker network’s buyout by none other than former competitor, PokerStars. An agreement between PokerStars and the United States Department of Justice has just been finalized, meaning that Full Tilt Poker will once again open for international business and, most importantly, be able to reimburse members still waiting to access money from their locked accounts.
                PokerStars have agreed to pay a total of $547 million over the next three years in order to assume complete ownership of Full Tilt Poker. For many the best aspect of this news involves the fact that any money frozen in Full Tilt members’ accounts will soon be paid back as part of the buyout. PokerStars announced that “outstanding balances owing to all non-US customers, an amount totaling $184 million” will be made available “with no restrictions on withdrawals within 90 days of completing this transaction.” With player reimbursements settled, PokerStars will get to work on re-launching Full Tilt Poker under a new, independent management team.
                PokerStars’ Chairman, Mark Scheinberg, told press that his company is “delighted [to] have been able to put this matter behind us” and described how the acquisition “strengthens
PokerStars.com [while bringing] relief to FullTiltPoker.com players who have been waiting over twelve months for repayment.”

Sky Poker Offers Up Extra Poker Prizes and Grand Final Seats

Poker competitors who either can’t afford or haven’t found a good time to enter into the upcoming Sky Poker Tour are getting another chance from the popular online poker network. Alongside plenty of extra prizes, Sky Poker is now offering up opportunities to win a seat into the finale of its tournament series through a brand new promo series.
                The promotion in question, Jackpot Boost, will give skilled players the ability to prove themselves through Sky Poker’s 8pm tournaments. Competitors who win one of these regular tournaments will be entered into a mini-tournament (beginning 15 minutes later). If they manage to win both of these events they’ll be awarded with a seat into the Sky Poker Tour Grand Final. Vying for the seat has, historically, been well worth a full evening of tough competition. Sky member ‘alan1506’, competing in a similar promo earlier this year, managed to win £3,415 in prize money along with £6,800 (for an impressive £10,620 total). This year Sky Poker will also be increasing their prize pool with an additional £1,000 in cash and a running jackpot that resets to £5,000 each time its hit.
                The Sky Poker Grand Final will take place at Nottingham, England’s Dusk Till Dawn on 8
th and 9th September, 2012. The event comes with a massive £75,000 prize pool and a shot at gaining recognition in one of the year’s most exciting live events.

PartyPoker Drops High Stakes Cash Games from Website Line-Up

It’s rare that an online gaming network removes rather than adds to its line-up of gameplay options, but that’s exactly what renowned poker site PartyPoker has just announced. Players who enjoy participating in high stakes competition will be disappointed to hear that this style of poker will no longer be offered at the site.
                As mentioned above, PartyPoker has decided to drop a wide range of high stakes cash games from its network. The high stakes games in question include all no limit hold ‘em bouts played for amounts of $10/$20 or higher and limit competitions with stakes set at $30/$60 and above. Curious PartyPoker members and industry observers have speculated on the decision to remove these games, the consensus being that the move is meant to keep players engaged in competitions for longer periods of time without running through their bankrolls too quickly. Within the revised stakes levels, the richest cash games are now limited to $5/$10 no limit hold ‘em and Omaha tables.
                A statement from PartyPoker described the decision to remove high stakes games as a way for the network to “make improvements to [its] poker ecology” and a move made to benefit its “players’ best interests.” The press release went on to state how PartyPoker “believes this change will improve the action at our tables and the poker room as a whole.” Only time will tell whether players agree that the dropped games constitute a genuine improvement to the PartyPoker experience or simply limit playing options.

PKR.com Unveils Software Update and New Site Features

PKR.com, never content to rest on its laurels, has just announced yet another software update. The latest revision of the online poker network not only improves on the existing interface, but also improves the user experience by adding new features.
                The latest
PKR.com facelift has, as always, been designed to provide players with the most immersive virtual poker option on the internet. The latest improvements bring practical, game-focused updates like a reiterated multi-tabling system that allows players to more easily rearrange, resize and reformat up to nine currently open windows. Alongside this is the introduction of a beta quickplay feature. The trial version of PKR.com’s quickplay looks to make getting into a favourite style of poker game as quick as possible while also allowing players to try out a hand replay tool where past hands can be recorded and/or posted to YouTube. In a further extension of its detailed avatar system, PKR has now added a “virtual drinks” feature where player points can be used to buy pints of beer, shots of liquor and other cocktail for themselves or friends. The last piece of the update sees PKR adding a “luxury yacht” to its line-up of table environments.
               
PKR.com’s Chief Operating Officer, Leon Walters, told press that players “who enjoy a more social poker experience will love the ability to buy drinks” while “hardcore multi-tablers will appreciate the new multiple windows feature” and “hand replay tool.” Members of the PKR.com network are able to hop onto their site of choice now to try out the new software features for themselves.

PokerStars Announces Schedule for 2012 World Championships of Online Poker

The eleventh edition of PokerStars’ World Championships of Online Poker (WCOOP) is fast approaching and now the online poker network has announced the schedule for its beloved tournament series.
                From 2
nd September through until 24th September of this fall, PokerStars will be hosting a massive series comprised of some 62 games. Beginning with a $215 buy-in six-max no limit hold ‘em tournament, the 2012 WCOOP will go on to include games of stud, razz, Horse, Badugi, eight-game, Omaha and hold ‘em poker. These styles of play will be offered to competitors as knockout, shootouts, heads-up, four and six max, turbo and big ante tournaments that accommodate bankrolls of all sizes (buy-ins set at amounts as little as $109 to as large as $10,300). The series comes to a conclusion with a $5,200 buy-in Main Event with an enormous $1 million guaranteed jackpot prize. These events can be bought into directly or entered via upcoming satellite games.
                A statement from PokerStars describing the 2012 WCOOP detailed last year’s event as a massive success, featuring a “bank-busting, guarantee smashing $47,120,800 in prize monies.” The statement went on to add that this year’s series is “going to be [as] sensational” as last year. PokerStars’ 2012 World Championships of Online Poker begins in September. Further prize guarantee figures will be announced as PokerStars continues to finalize the amounts on offer to WCOOP players.

PokerStars Signs Tennis Pro Rafael Nadal to Sponsorship Deal

PokerStars has just completed an agreement that will now see its brand being championed by one of the most popular sports star in the world. Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal is the latest addition to PokerStars line-up of sports ambassadors, having just joined on as a member of Team SportsStars.
                The 26 year old Nadal is one of the most notable tennis professionals playing the game today, having won eleven Grand Slam championships, a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics and currently being slated to play in this year’s London Games. Aside from his accomplishments in tennis Nadal also loves playing poker, a passion that informed his decision to sign onto PokerStars’ Team SportsStars. Along with other sports figures (like Fatima Moreira de Melo and Boris Becker), Nadal will be joining in online poker tournaments while helping to promote the game both in his native Spain and abroad through charity events and advertising initiatives.
                Rafael Nadal released a statement that described his decision to join Team SportsStars, stating that “I love to compete” and “[am] very happy to be working with PokerStars.” PokerStars’ Chairman, Mark Scheinberg, shared the excitement, describing how his company is “proud to have Rafael as an ambassador for the bran.” Nadal will compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London (beginning on Friday, 27
th July) and will begin appearing at PokerStars events in the near future.

Sky Poker Debuts New Poker School Feature

Fans of online poker, both novices and experienced players, can always benefit from a bit of advice on how to improve their game. Sky Poker is looking to supply this kind of help through a brand new site feature that offers guidance on poker play.
                Sky Poker’s latest initiative allows interested site members to learn from a series of tutorial videos and special forums. To help provide the best possible advice Sky has hired on expert poker instructors/media personalities like Richard Orford, James Hartigan and Travis Harris to star in clips that detail a wide range of essential strategies and tactics. Each of the virtual instructors come to Sky with a wealth of experience, Orford having worked with Sky Poker in the past, Hartigan with Sky Sports, Channel 4, EuroSport and the Poker Channel and Harris coming from a career in sports journalism and broadcasting. Aside from these videos, Sky Poker has also opened up a special forum thread called “Play My Hand” (within the Sky Poker School section) that gives players the ability to ask for help with specific hands and play situations.
                A statement from Sky Poker described the launch of its new poker school site additions as a great way to improve on elements of their players’ game, adding that the company’s “team of experts has a vast amount of experience and are capable of providing insightful analysis and useful guidance.”

PokerStars Offers World Championship of Online Poker Radio Coverage

Poker fans excited for the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) will be able to keep up with every detail of the prestigious tournament with help from PokerStars. The online poker website has just announced that its PokerStars Radio will make a 2012 return, providing listeners with comprehensive coverage of the event.
                This September will be dominated by news coming out from the latest edition of the popular World Championship of Online Poker. Running throughout the majority of the month, the WCOOP will see the emergence of new talent and plenty of exciting moments throughout its line-up of more than 60 games. PokerStars, in a return to its 2011 radio coverage of the event, will be bringing up to the minute reports to fans as they happen. PokerStars Radio will consist of a daily WCOOP show hosted by Joe Stapleton, Matt Broughton and Nick Wealthall. PokerStars plans to keep its audio coverage fresh by giving listeners far more than just the facts: Stapleton, Broughton and Wealthall will also provide interviews with noted poker professionals, online tournaments, live phone-in discussions, quizzes and much more.
                The decision to bring back PokerStars Radio's WCOOP coverage comes from the warm reception the show was greeted with last year. Joe Stapleton told press that "poker players and fans love the format and really connect with the live interactive elements." The World Championship of Online Poker has already begun and will consist of 65 events with a $30 million total guaranteed prize pool.

PKR.com Invites Members to Enjoy a Virtual Drink

PKR.com maintains a well deserved reputation for being the most technologically progressive online poker network. With the unveiling of its latest feature, a new addition that came alongside PKR's recent software update, this commitment to innovation is set to continue.
                The new feature allows
PKR.com players to further simulate aspects of live poker competition through their site of choice. Virtual drinks, ready to be bought for oneself or another member, have now arrived at PKR in an effort to make the platform's 3D poker rooms more realistic than ever before. These drinks can be "purchased" in exchange for PKR points and have been carefully modeled to look and sound as authentic as possible. Pints of beer, cups of coffee in polyester cups and mojitos that are detailed enough to allow players to "hear the ice cubes clink against their glass" when their avatar takes a sip have all been added to the PKR.com bar.
               
PKR.com's software update press release was enthusiastic about the addition of its unorthodox new feature, calling the virtual drinks "great fun." The statement went on to describe the gameplay possibilities of ordering these fake drinks, detailing how "buying a cocktail for a guy you just destroyed in a hand can be seen as [either] a polite gesture or the ultimate insult." Virtual drinks are available now as part of PKR.com's recent software update.

Party Poker Offers Up Satellite Tournaments for World Poker Tour Vienna Stop

Party Poker is doing its best to give its most talented members a shot at competing in one of this fall's most anticipated live events. Its latest promotion offers up a series of weekly satellite tournaments that award winners with a massive prize package featuring main event buy-in to the Vienna leg of the World Poker Tour.
                Party Poker players who want to prove their talent by going up against some of the most skilled players in the industry will now have a great chance to do so, regardless of the size of their bankroll. The site's WPT Vienna promotion has already begun and is set to take place on Sunday afternoons in the weeks leading up to the event itself. The satellites can be bought into at $200 +$15 or through feeder satellites and provide each week's winner with a lavish prize package. Each of these packages is valued at $4,000 and includes hotel accommodations, spending money and entry to the WPT Vienna €1,000 Main Event. Party Poker's WPT organizers have further sweetened the deal by setting up the €1,000,000 Guaranteed €500 + €50 Freezeout Concord Million just days (and a few kilometres) away from the WPT's home at Vienna's Concord Card Casino.
                Speaking to press, Party Poker described its satellite series as "a great opportunity for players to boost their bankroll" and highlighted the Concord Million as a "chance to make [their] package money go much further than it normally would." Ambitious satellite winners will enjoy a perfect opportunity to make their trip to Vienna a memorable one, packed with several days of poker play.

PKR.com Provides Poker Advice Through Raise Your Game Tutorial Series

Poker — especially the Hold 'Em style most popular today — isn't a particularly difficult game to learn the rules to, but mastering it can take a lifetime. In order to help its members with this learning curve, online poker site PKR.com has just launched a new series of tutorials.
                "Raise Your Game" takes the form of an ongoing collection of helpful videos, fielding information ranging from 6-max basics to in-depth ring game strategies.
PKR.com has drawn on the knowledge and experience of its team of experts to create a comprehensive set of lessons that cover different areas of poker, providing invaluable tips for those who enjoy a quick table game as well as fans of high stakes tournaments. "Raise Your Game" is available alongside "How to Play", making PKR.com the ideal location for first-time poker players, seasoned veterans and everyone in between. The star power available through PKR also lends the series substantial credibility. Recent features include breakdowns of career-changing hands from the poker professionals who played them and crucial tips on how to avoid commonly encountered mistakes.
                PKR told press that "Raise Your Game" was designed as the site's "way of helping more players enjoy online poker" and a great way to work on "perfecting [their] style of play." The new series is a smart move, allowing
PKR.com to become an invaluable resource for players of all skill levels and a great place to kick off a new online poker account.

Paddy Power Poker Launches New Oktoberfest Themed Promotion

Paddy Power Poker is already making big plans for this year’s Oktoberfest. In order to help celebrate the world famous beer festival the poker network has just launched a new promotion that will send three lucky competitors to Munich, Germany to celebrate the event in style.
                Paddy Power’s Pokertoberfest has already begun and will run until 9
th September. The promotion requires Paddy Power members to register for the event before they’re sorted into different competition categories based on their past performance. Players with 500 Power Points (or more) are automatically entered into the €4,500 Pokertoberfest Freeroll — an event that offers a chance at a share of €1,000 in cash and/or an Oktoberfest prize package. Paddy Power members who have participated in a grand final leaderboard and three points races will be able to compete in a freeroll that comes with €7,750 and, for the event’s winner, an Oktoberfest prize package. Players who have won two points races and a grand final leaderboard will be able to play in yet another event that comes with €6,750 and an Oktoberfest package. The three Pokertoberfest prize packages are valued at €3,500 and include a sightseeing trip through Munich (sponsored by Segway), a guided tour of the city’s best restaurants and eateries, two nights of accommodations, VIP dinners, free entry and, of course, access to one of the best Oktoberfest parties taking place at one of Munich’s nightclubs.
                A statement from Paddy Power Poker described its Pokertoberfest as a great “way to banish the summer blues” and “hit Oktoberfest this autumn with some of [Paddy’s] loyal players.”

PKR.com Changes Up Multi-Table Tournament Schedule in Recent Revision

Members of the widely acclaimed online poker network PKR.com are set to enjoy more multi-table tournament play than ever before with the launch of a new revision to the site’s tournament schedule. The changes, informed by feedback garnered from the site’s players, will help to diversify tournament options while adding in a few new features as well.

The biggest changes to PKR.com’s multi-table tournament schedule come from the addition of a wide variety of new daily events. These tournaments have been designed with the implementation of PKR.com member feedback firmly in mind, bringing a larger range of stakes levels (especially for micro and low stakes players) and time zone accommodations to the roster of events. These changes are meant to make the tournaments more accessible than ever before, giving players from different locations — and with various bankroll sizes — the opportunity to compete in games with greater convenience. Alongside format changes that standardize buy-ins and improve play by changing from ten to nine seat tables, PKR will also be hosting a daily Lab feature that allows players to compete in experimental formats and themed games every night.

PKR.com’s Poker Room Manager, Neil Wright, released a statement that detailed the changes being implemented to the site’s multi-table tournament schedule. Wright called the revision “an exciting makeover” and “a work in progress” that will “add even more innovative choices to ensure [a] schedule as dynamic as the [site’s] software itself.”

PokerStars May Be Ready to Announce Full Tilt Poker Acquisition Plans

It’s been an interesting year for fans of Full Tilt Poker. Following the Black Friday legal scandals that rocked the online poker world in 2011, Full Tilt Poker found itself in a precarious position where it was left without an operator’s license, trying to reestablish itself as a business and find a way to reimburse site members without the revenue to do so. Now, disgruntled players may get the outstanding money they’ve been waiting for as new developments come to the troubled poker platform.

The latest news regarding Full Tilt Poker will come as quite a shock to many industry observers: renowned online poker network PokerStars may be about to acquire the site. This comes after a deal by Groupe Bernard Tapie — an agreement that looked like it was finally going to bring an end to the Full Tilt story with a purchase of the company — fell through, leaving site members in the lurch. Groupe Bernard Tapie was unable to agree to terms regarding paying back player funds causing the potential deal to fall through. Now reports have come in claiming that PokerStars has picked up where Groupe Bernard Tapie left off, coming to a settlement with the United States Department of Justice (current holders of the Full Tilt license) that would see the site making the purchase and providing wronged Full Tilt Poker members with the money they’re owed.

For now the acquisition is still only rumoured, but, if PokerStars does decide to go through with the purchase they can be expected to pay around $750 million in finalizing the deal. Further details should appear sometime in the near future.

Everest Poker Launches 2012 World Series of Poker Promotion

As the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) looms closer and closer, many online poker sites are offering up opportunities for talented players to win their way to the illustrious event. The latest WSOP themed promotion comes from Everest Poker and will see a number of the site’s members heading to Las Vegas to take part in this year’s festivities.

The new promo series from Everest is designed with getting skilled competitors on their way toward the World Series of Poker, the biggest event of the poker season. Everest’s offering takes the form of weekly, Monday events that give players with even the smallest bankrolls a chance at proving their skills at the 2012 WSOP. These weekly events come are set at a standard $109 buy-in, but can also be entered through satellites (from as low as $1.50 buy-ins) or by cashing at tournaments like the $1 Steps Sit and Go. Winners will receive a fabulous prize package (valued at $4,000) that includes seven nights of accommodations at either the Palazzo or Venetian hotels in Las Vegas (worth $1,400), airfare, $700 in cash and, most importantly, buy-in to the 2012 WSOP’s Event 54.

A statement from Everest Poker sold the promotion as a great way to “become the next world poker champion” by competing in “the ultimate live tournament.” Event 54 is a three day no-limit hold ‘em tournament with buy-ins set at $1,000. It will kick off on 1st July at noon with Everest Poker hopefuls eligible to win their prize packages from now until 11th June.

PokerStars Sends Site Members to India for the 2012 Casino Royale Cup

Winning entry to a live poker event is incentive enough for most players to compete in their favourite sites’ promotions, but PokerStars is looking to do one better by coupling free tournament entry with a trip abroad. The Casino Royale Cup, scheduled to take place toward the end of June, will be held in Goa, India and PokerStars is looking to send the winners of its current promotion abroad to take part.

Members of PokerStars will be able to compete in satellite tournaments that reward the most talented competitors with a fantastic prize package. These satellites will see players duking it out for a shot at taking home a reward that includes buy-in to the Casino Royale Cup’s $1,000 Main Event, reduced rates at Goa, India’s Goa Marriott Resort and Spa (situated on Miramar Beach) and more. Winners will play alongside members of Team PokerStars Pro, including Bryan Huang (the 2010 Asia Player of the Year) who has already confirmed his attendance.

Danny McDonagh, PokerStars’ Asia-Pacific Live Operations Director, released a statement detailing “the rise [of poker] in India” and his company’s delight in “[supporting] this fantastic event in Goa.” The Casino Royale Cup is scheduled to run from 21st to 24th June and will take place on a cruise ship, remodeled to host the luxurious Casino Royale. The Cup’s Main Event will run for three days.

Paddy Power Poker Members Receive New Loyalty Program

Paddy Power Poker members are set to receive better, more personalized rewards now that the site has decided to overhaul its loyalty program. The revamped system has been designed to provide players of all skill levels with fantastic rewards and continuous play incentives.

The biggest change in Paddy Power’s loyalty reward is the introduction of tiered “Paddy’s Power Rewards” levels. These levels (Power One to Power Four, Max Power and Max+ Power) filter players based on the amount of time they’ve spent playing online poker — and the number of Power Points they’ve accumulated — during a given month. This new system allows site members to enjoy competition in tournaments designed to appeal to their particular skill level and commitment to the game, every tier receiving access to special events, but higher level players being offered invites to the highest-stakes, biggest-reward tournaments. As part of the redesign, Paddy Power also shook up its Rewards Shop, creating a series of prizes suitable for any type of player (ranging from cash bonuses and hooded sweaters to iPad3s, luxury vacations and even Lamborghinis).

A statement released by Paddy Power Poker detailed the changes to its loyalty program, describing how the company has “revamped, remodeled and rebooted [its] rewards program to reflect the real needs and wants of [its] regular players” and decided to reinforce the idea that customer [loyalty] means lots of ways to score great prizes, free cash and brilliant bonuses.” The updated loyalty program is already live and Paddy Power Poker is celebrating by providing players with double points until Wednesday, May 2nd.

Sky Poker Marks Five Millionth Hand with Giveaway

Sky Poker has been eagerly anticipating reaching the landmark of five million hands dealt in recent months and now the milestone has been met. In order to help celebrate the achievement the site gave out some exceptional prizes to competitors.

The five millionth hand was dealt this month, marking an enormous milestone that saw several lucky members of the site rewarded with iPad tablets and cash. The five iPads on offer were given away to every player who was able to take part in a game of poker that fell within 100 hands before or after the 50 millionth hand was dealt. These players also had to have earned a minimum of 50 poker points during the month of March to have been entered into the prize draw. Even better for Sky Poker is the coincidence of this April marking not just the landmark statistic, but the fifth birthday of the site as well. Sky took advantage of this to offer up a promotion that provided £100 to every one of the players who competed in the five millionth hand game, boosting the amount to £500 for the winner and doubling the payout they received from the site’s “cash for points” system.

A statement released by Sky Poker detailed the festivities and their achievement of the five millionth hand, describing how the “monumental figure” marked “a seminal moment in the history of our online poker room.” The statement went on to say that “Sky Poker is grateful and [that] no celebration would be complete without the key players, especially the 500th millionth one.

Team Bodog Signs Poker Professional, Jay Tan

Bodog Poker’s professional players/brand ambassadors, Team Bodog have just grown by one member. The site recently announced the addition of Hong Kong’s Jay Tan to its roster, expanding their line-up with one of the poker world’s fastest rising stars.

Jay Tan, a native of Los Angeles now living in Hong Kong, is a talented player and speaks three languages fluently. Tan has been making quite a name for herself in recent years. One of her most impressive showings was at the Macau Poker Club’s recent Red Dragon event where she finished second. Tan is the niece of famous American writer Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club) and, aside from being skilled in poker, is an accomplished mahjong player as well. Bodog Poker continues to make forays into the every expanding Asian poker market, signing Tan (who speaks fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and English) after having launched Chinese language support for its online casino platform.

Considering the continuing growth of poker in Asia, Tan felt that Bodog was a smart choice for her sponsorship, stating that “[Bodog] seems to really understand the Asian market” and that the site’s anonymous tables are a great choice for a demographic of competitors who “are new to the game and don’t want to be beaten by players who are unfairly using their own playing data against them.” Bodog Poker’s Vice President, Jonas Odman, agreed with her points and added that “with Jay as the face of the brand we can take things a step further” in the Asian market.

Party Poker Offers Qualifiers for the 2012 World Series of Poker

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the biggest event of the year for poker competitors and spectators alike. The series’ 2012 edition is fast approaching and Party Poker is looking to celebrate the festivities by giving its players a shot at winning their way to the prestigious tournaments.

Party Poker is now offering a series of prize packages that will send talented members of the site to Las Vegas, Nevada for the 2012 WSOP. Interested players are able to compete in a wide range of qualifiers and freerolls that provide fantastic rewards at buy-in levels appropriate for bankrolls of any size. These include the Daily Freeroll, the inexpensive $2 Daily Sub Qualifier Speed Rebuy, $4 Daily Sub Qualifier Speed Rebuy and $9 Daily Sub Qualifier Speed Rebuy. Winners from these events will be able to compete in the Daily $75+$5 Satellite Qualifier and, if successful there, play in the Sunday $700+$50 Qualifier. The top twenty from the Sunday tournaments will win Party Poker’s most highly sought after prize package (valued at some $14,000) which includes a seat at the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event, $2,000 in spending money and ten nights of accommodations in Las Vegas.

Skilled poker players hoping to make their mark in the world of professional poker are being given an excellent opportunity to prove themselves through the site’s freerolls and qualifiers and should be sure to get started now while there’s still time to win. Party Poker’s qualifiers have already begun and will continue to run until 17th June, 2012.

Titan Poker Provides Cash Point Promotion Details

Avid online poker players who want to get a little bit more out of their time spent at the virtual tables will be pleased to hear the details of Titan Poker’s latest promotional offering. Cash Point, the promo in question, is set to reward the busiest players at the site from a pool of prizes totaling some $250,000.

Cash Point runs throughout most of April, taking the form of three weekly races. Players are able to take part in the promo by sitting down to play in no limit hold ‘em cash games during this period of time, earning participation points for every qualifying hand (defined by Titan as any hand that is played alongside a minimum of three post-flop players) they take part in. Extra leaderboard points, based on performance, are also amassed by players who win their cash games. Titan Poker will divide each points race into three separate groups (determined by the size of player stakes) where top earners will then receive their share of the money on offer throughout the promo.

In the statement detailing Cash Point issued by Titan Poker the company described how the promotion offered a great opportunity for “players with limited bankrolls” who hope to earn some extra cash by being one of the “over 1,000 players [who] finish ‘in the money’ during each week of the Cash Point races.” Cash Point ends on Sunday, 22nd April and, according to Titan, may return in future months.

Titan Poker’s Super Sale Lowers Tournament Prices for a Limited Time

Tournament players with a limited bankroll will be pleased to hear that Titan Poker has just launched a promotion that will temporarily lower buy-in prices. The event, dubbed Super Sale, kicks off on 1st April and provides several days of fantastic price reductions on big-money tournaments.

Next month’s promotion will see players receiving generous discounts on many of Titan’s most popular events. Competitors will be able to enter tournaments while paying anywhere from sixty to eighty percent less than usual on buy-ins. Among the reduced buy-ins are tournaments like the $40,000 Guaranteed High Roller Monday (set at $215 or 60% off), the $40,000 Guaranteed Super Tuesday (at $33 or 70% off), the Friday $60,000 Guaranteed (at $27.50) and Saturday’s $40,000 Freezout (at $38.50 or 65% off). Titan Poker’s weekly $200,000 Guaranteed will also change names, becoming Sunday Blast, and temporarily lower its buy-in to $109 (half off the usual rate). Aside from these discounted events, Titan is also encouraging players to check into the site throughout the week to take advantage of several other, lower-priced buy-in opportunities.

A statement from Titan Poker described the highlights of Super Sale and correctly promoted the special prices as a great way for “players of all bankrolls to secure their [tournament] seats at a very inexpensive cost.” Super Sale begins on Sunday, 1st April and returns for one day only on the first Sunday in June and July, 2012.

Betfred Poker Unveils New Site Redesign

Betfred’s poker offering has just undergone a software redesign that makes it easier for site members to play their favourite games. The update is already live and comes with a number of new features that make it easier for players to get into the games they want, check their site statistics and receive rewards based on their loyalty status.

The first new detail that members of Betfred Poker will notice is the lobby, the landing page having been changed to include stats like a hands-played and session counter along with a section that shows how many VIP points a player has accumulated and information on when they’re eligible to cash out points for prizes. Even more interesting is the site’s plan to change their loyalty system. Betfred announced that rewards will be enhanced, beginning on 1st April and that the new VIP system will make it “much more straightforward to cash in [points] for a variety of different bonuses and awards.”

The site is also celebrating the release of its redesign with the unveiling of a number of brand new games and some changes to how the rake is calculated at cash games. Betfred Poker released a statement describing the new software as looking “cleaner, slicker and more visually appealing” and providing account and game information “in a flash.”

Sky Poker Sends Skilled Players to Las Vegas with New Promo

very poker player wants to try their luck in Las Vegas, one of the world’s most popular gambling destinations, and, now, Sky Poker is giving them a chance to do so. The Viva Las Vegas promotion just launched by Sky is set to reward skilled competitors with lavish prize packages that will send winners to Sin City itself for a holiday filled with high-stakes action.

Members of Sky Poker can begin registering in Viva Las Vegas events now as the promotional series gets ready to take place over the next two and a half months. Players can enter into the games through daily satellites (with buy-ins set at £2.50) and, if one of the top five best competitors, continue into the £11.50 buy-in “quarter satellites.” One of the five from this stage will be able to enter the £52.50 buy-in quarter finals and, if their luck holds out, compete in the £240 buy-in semi-finals for a chance to win their way into the “grand finals.” These grand finals will take place once a week until the end of May, ultimately awarding the winners with prize packages that provide all-inclusive Vegas holidays (including flights, ten days of hotel accommodations and more) valued at some £10,000.

Sky Poker’s press release described the Viva Las Vegas prize as a “once-in-a-lifetime package” and, considering how far an initial £2.50 buy-in can take a skilled player, it certainly seems to be so. Players can register for Viva Las Vegas and compete in events from now until the end of May.

PokerStars Reveals Plans to Launch New, Zoom Poker Style This Month

Fans of popular online poker network, PokerStars, will soon be able to enjoy a brand new way to play their favourite game as the network readies the launch of Zoom Poker. By emphasizing speed, Zoom lets players get the most out of their gaming team through a smart twist on traditional multi-table poker.

Zoom Poker has been heavily refined during the last few weeks through the PokerStars’ test server, but now it will be taking its next step toward coming to the main platform proper: allowing for real-money play. The new style takes notes from Full Tilt Poker’s Rush Poker mode, stressing fast, multi-table play that allows for more hands to be played per hour than any other poker variant. Zoom sees competitors joining a table and playing as much or as little of the ongoing game as they wish. If they choose to fold a hand, they’re moved to another table with an entirely new set of players. The extremely fast playstyle averages 200 hands per hour or more and is currently available in 6 max No Limit Hold ‘Em format (with future variations expected in the near future).

PokerStars currently plans to move Zoom Poker to the next stage of its beta testing sometime in the remaining weeks of March, a change that will let players to compete with real money. After further refinement, it seems likely that the new playstyle will find its way to the main site so it can be enjoyed by as many online poker players as possible.

Paddy Power Poker Launches Irish Open 2012 Mega Satellite

Paddy Power Poker continues to help promote the rapidly approaching Irish Open 2012 with satellite tournaments designed to provide the site’s most talented members with access to the real-world event. The company’s latest effort takes the form of a massive qualifier that comes complete with lavish prize packages and, of course, seats to the Irish Open.

The enormous no-limit hold’em freezout satellite will take place on Sunday, 18th March and feature a €320 buy-in. For players with less money to spare, Paddy Power has created a number of feeder tournaments that will also provide entry to the main satellite without requiring as much of a financial commitment. Satellite winners will receive a seat at the Irish Open’s main event (a prize worth €3500 on its own) as well as €655 in cash and accommodations at The Burlington Hotel for five nights. If that isn’t enough, those who qualify will be given access to Paddy’s Sole Survivor, the chance to take home extra prize money and a €100,000 cash reward as well.

Patrick “Paddy” Power himself released a statement to the press that detailed the qualifier, touting it as “your best chance to qualify for the prestigious Irish Open 2012” and, considering the scope of the prize and exclusivity of the event, he doesn’t seem to be exaggerating. Irish Open 2012 will be held at The Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland from 6th to 9th April, 2012.

PokerStars Reveals MicroMillions Tournament Series

Popular online poker network, PokerStars has just announced a brand new tournament series set to play out over the latter half of this month. MicroMillions, the series in question, comes complete with a guaranteed $5 million in cash and a huge number of exciting games for players to compete in.

Buy-ins to MicroMillions start from eleven cents and are offered alongside one dollar buy-in daily tournaments that come complete with $100,000 prize pools. Aside from these events, players are also able to compete in a large number of additional games with buy-ins set at amounts ranging from two to twenty two dollars. In all, PokerStars has prepared an enormous set of 100 events created to accommodate site members of all levels of skill and bankroll. With such a large number of tournaments to enter, games will be running non-stop throughout the promotional period. Regardless of their time-zone, players will be able to enter into Omaha, hold ‘em, stud and other varieties of poker whenever they wish.

Team PokerStars player Lex Veldhuis released a statement praising MicroMillions, describing how the events “actually [offer] players [with low bankrolls] the chance to be a part of a great tournament series” and provide a great complement to “all the different tournament festivals that PokerStars offers.” PokerStars’ MicroMillions tournament series will begin on Thursday, 15th March and end on Sunday, 25th March with a $22 buy-in $1 million guaranteed main event.

Sky Poker Announces New Play Style with Timed Tournaments

Sky Poker has just given its fans another great reason to log onto their site of choice by premiering a brand new style of play. The online poker giant is hoping to attract fresh attention on the strength of its interesting variation on traditional tournaments with the recently added Timed Tournaments option.

Timed Tournaments is part of Sky Poker’s continuing fifth anniversary celebrations and brings a fantastic alternative to site members who want to try a twist on traditional multi-table tournament competition. The new style of play forces players to make tougher decisions as they leverage regular tournament play against a timed countdown. Competitors will receive their prize money based on the chip count in their possession at the end of the time limit chosen for the tournament. The payout is determined based on the percentage of chips on the table a finishing player holds when the either 15, 30 or 60 minute game comes to an end. Time Tournaments are available through Sky Poker’s tournament lobby and should be bustling around the time of their introduction.

Players who are interested in signing up for a Sky Poker account to take advantage of the new tournament style should also be sure to check into the host of other exciting promotions occurring now in celebration of the company’s fifth anniversary.

PokerStars Launches Mobile App, Secures New License for European Sites

Playing online poker has just become a lot more convenient with the UK introduction of PokerStars mobile application. British poker fans will now be able to download a version of the popular virtual poker network that allows them to experience the same access to a wide suite of games that was previously only available via computer.

PokerStars Mobile has already launched and can be downloaded by owners of either Android or iOS devices. The app comes complete with portable versions of fan favourites like Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Texas Hold ‘Em and a variety of sit-and-go and multi-table tournaments. Players can choose to compete in either fake or real money games as well, the Director of New Platforms for PokerStars’ UK division stating that PokerStars Mobile is “the best, authentic poker experience available for mobile devices today.” Each feature has been carefully optimized for handheld gadgets (like smartphones, tablets and more) so that players can enjoy a traditional PokerStars experience without any slowdown or navigation issues.

In other exciting European news, PokerStars has also revealed that it will soon be able to launch revised domains in both Sweden and Finland. After being given a Malta Lotteries and Gaming Commission license, PokerStars will be able to add to its recently improved Belgian site with updated software that lets Swedish and Finnish poker fans enter into untaxed online poker games. A statement detailing the licensing change assured players from these nations that their accounts will transfer without the loss of loyalty points, cash balances or any other valuable information.

Bet365 Launches Freeroll Frenzy with $10,000 Guaranteed Tournaments

The latest promotional offering from bet365.com is designed to give every member of the online poker site a chance to win a piece of an enormous cash prize pool. The Freeroll Frenzy promo currently running at the network, is offering up a total of $50,000 over the coming weeks while also providing an increase in the amount of loyalty points available to competitors.

Freeroll Frenzy is taking place over the next month and includes a number of great events that bet365 players won’t want to miss. These take the form of three $10,000 guaranteed tournaments set to run throughout the rest of February and early March. Each of these tournaments takes place on a Monday and allows players to enter by buying in directly or competing in a heads-up or freeroll qualifier. Alongside the $10,000 tournaments, bet365 is also giving its players the opportunity to take advantage of a boost in loyalty points earnings. Throughout the rest of the month members will be given further incentive to participate in Freeroll Frenzy as bet365 will award 20 points for every dollar spent on tournament fees instead of the usual 15.

The three $10,000 guaranteed tournaments are scheduled for 13th and 24th February as well as 6th March. Players are able to qualify (or directly buy-in) during the ten days leading up to each event. A statement from bet365 spokespeople detailed Freeroll Frenzy as “the poker event of the year so far”. Considering the enormous prizes and great bonuses on offer it certainly looks like there’s truth to this claim.

Victor Chandler Poker Celebrates 25th Chase Anniversary with Freeroll Promo

Victor Chandler, one of the most recognizable names in the gaming industry, is set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its Chase events with a special promotion. The company’s poker site, Victor Chandler Poker, will be hosting a series of freerolls that give lucky winners the opportunity to attend a day at the Ascot Racecourse.

Fans of Victor Chandler Poker will soon be able to compete for their chance to win one of the Ascot Racecourse Premier Admission badges on offer from the site. The badges will be made available as prizes for the winners of the upcoming poker freerolls. Victor Chandler has detailed that the freerolls will take place each evening — ending on Monday, 16th January — and provide a total of two hundred Premier Admission badges to the top five finishers of every one of its events. Each freeroll can be registered for one hour in advance and gives free entry to every player until all available slots have been filled.

Victor Chandler’s Andy Horne told press that his company was hoping to “brighten up a dreary January [with] a day at the races” for its members while also celebrating the long history of its Chase series. Premier Admission badges are available only to Victor Chandler members living in the United Kingdom and Ireland and will allow the lucky, 200 winners to attend the Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, 21st January.

Victor Chandler Poker Launch Month Long Christmas Promo

With December now upon us, Victor Chandler Poker has decided to embrace the holiday season with a month full of Christmas-themed promotional events. Special games are set to run from now until 25th December and aim at giving every fan of the site a number of reasons for competing in daily games.

Victor Chandler Poker’s Advent Calendar promo looks to give members of its site an entire month of festive gaming, packed with great rewards. With a total of more than €40,000 in prizes up for grabs throughout the following weeks, Victor Chandler has designed a promotional period that encourages fans of the poker network to log onto their site of choice every day of December. Advent Calendar has already begun and, while full details on the coming special events has yet to be revealed, Victor Chandler has begun unveiling new, daily promotions each morning. Though specific promo details will only be shown on a day-by-day basis, Victor Chandler has also announced the return of Flop Stars competitions and a low stakes VIP points race set to run alongside the mystery events and prizes that make up Advent Calendar.

Andy Horne, Victor Chandler’s Head of Poker, told press that “it’s been an exciting year for [Victor Chandler]” with much more to come soon. Horne went on to describe how, “ahead of our next big announcement” the Advent Calendar promo will give “lots of players [a] little helping hand towards making this Christmas a memorable one.”

BetFair Adds Hans Martin Vogl to Team BetFair Poker

Team BetFair Poker is one of the most well known collection of sponsored poker players in the industry. Now it has grown to include yet another talented professional with the recent signing of Germany’s Hans Martin Vogl.

Hans Martin Vogl has made a name for himself throughout the last several years, developing an extremely impressive career full of large earnings and exceptional live and online performances. Vogl is best known for his multi-table and sit-and-go play, specializations that first put him on the map back when he started playing full time in 2004. The German player was previously interested in sports wagering but, after using €5,000 of his winnings as a poker bankroll, he discovered that he was talented at the game. Vogl was snapped up by Team Full Tilt soon after and began to compete online and at live events like the 2006 BetFair Asian Poker Tour (where he placed seventh) and the 2007 Aussie Millions (where he took fifth place at the main event). His live earnings to date stand at an impressive $501, 497 and Vogl only looks to improve as he spends time studying poker to better his game.

Vogl looks to be a great addition to Team BetFair Poker and should help to boost the already impressive team’s profile in the coming years. BetFair’s Global Poker Manager, Asko Heiskanen, speaking on behalf of his company, said that “Hans has demonstrated time and time again that he is a player of extraordinary skills [and] we are delighted he has joined Team BetFair Poker.”

Victor Chandler Renews Passoker.com Licensing Deal

Victor Chandler, well known as the operator of one of the web’s largest gaming networks, has just announced the renewal of a valuable licensing deal. The agreement was signed between Victor Chandler and Passoker.com, the developer of a popular and innovative betting game.

Passoker, the name of the game and developer both, is a kind of poker spinoff that provides chance-based rewards in place of the game’s traditional focus on skill. Players sit at virtual tables and receive points when sports events (like football goals, tennis double faults, etc.) occur. It was created over two years by a team of professionals including English footballer Viv Anderson and made its debut last fall. Victor Chandler currently hosts slot and real-money iterations of Passoker at its websites, allowing its members to play versions of the game that can be altered to include various brand and sports themes. Passoker’s developers released a statement detailing their excitement toward “reaping the benefits of the time invested in reaching this significant milestone”, hinting that the relationship between both companies looks to continue over the coming years.

Karl Riley, Victor Chandler’s Marketing Director, told press that the gaming network is “very pleased to have launched Passoker on VictorChandler.com” and that the company is “delighted to be able to offer it first.” Victor Chandler members can expect to see Passoker become a mainstay of the business’ poker, casino and sportsbetting clients, altered to include new themes and features long into the website’s future.

Bodog Implements Data Mining Blocking Solution

The European section of Bodog’s extremely popular online poker site has been plagued with data mining in the past but now the company has found a solution to this issue. Bodog has just announced that it will be taking drastic action toward blocking data miners now and throughout the rest of the year.

Data mining takes a negative toll on online poker players, amassing information on their play style in order to help give others gain an unfair advantage at the tables. While historically it has been difficult for poker networks to stamp out data miners, Bodog has revealed a novel approach that should give its players peace of mind as they compete. Bodog.eu will now be removing full tables from its lobbies, making it impossible for potential miners to record information on players sitting in an ongoing, completely populated game.

Bodog’s spokespeople commented on data mining, alluding to the fact that the information is routinely bought by serious players in order to take advantage of others and stating that it’s a practice that “only benefits ‘professional players’ to the detriment of ‘recreational players’”. Bodog hopes that, by removing unnecessary table information, miners will avoid attempts at recording information and play at its site will remain fair.

Paddy Power Poker Announces Live Video Stream for Irish Open 2011

Ireland’s foremost online poker network, Paddy Power Poker, has announced that it will be giving the Irish Open 2011 extensive coverage through its website when the event kicks off at the end of April. The influential gaming platform has plans to stream almost all of the competition, complete with professional hosting and commentary.

Paddy Power Poker is one of the Irish Open’s top supporters and is going to help boost the coverage of the series by kicking off live, streaming video beginning at the Friday night premiere. Jessie May, working from a studio located in the centre of the Open’s Dublin venue, will be conducting interviews and acting as host while an entire team of reporters work to canvas the rest of the action occurring at the Burlington Hotel. Paddy Power has also detailed its inclusion of social media interactions being a part of the event, enabling both players and spectators to discuss each game as it’s actually being played out.

Along with great televised coverage, Paddy Power players will also be able to take advantage of several promotions — like daily iPad-based freerolls, reload bonuses and more — that are planned to be launched throughout the Irish Open’s schedule. This year’s Irish Open will be held at downtown Dublin’s Burlington Hotel, taking place from Friday, 22nd to Monday, 25th April.

BetFair Opens World Series of Poker 2011 Entry Promos

Sportsbooker and online gaming network, BetFair, has just launched a number of promotional offers that aim to give members of its poker site a chance to win their entry to the fast-approaching World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2011. Talented, amateur players now have the opportunity they need to compete in the massive tournament series and try their hand at breaking into the professional ranks.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly promotion has already begun and will run through until near the end of May while offering up a staggering $150,000 in seats. BetFair Poker fans can compete in a $70,000 points race that will ultimately see the top three players winning seats to the poker season’s most prestigious tournament series — the WSOP. Competitors that place between the 150th and fourth position will also be able to claim a partial share in $40,000 of cash prizes. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly will be run alongside the 6-Shooter promo. 6-Shooter allows BetFair members to compete for seats in an early July tournament series that will ultimately award winners with $5,700 WSOP side event prize packages.

BetFair’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is available now and will run until Friday, 27th May 2011 while 6-Shooter preliminaries take place throughout April and May before final tournaments run from 1st to 6th July, 2011. The BetFair $2,500 Welcome Freeroll will also change during the WSOP 2011 lead-up, occurring less often but rewarding winners with WSOP side event packages and satellite tickets.

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Paddy Power Poker Offers Up Seats for Irish Open 2011

Ireland’s favourite online poker service, Paddy Power Poker, is helping its fans to join in with the nation’s biggest live poker tournament — the Irish Open 2011. Paddy Power is setting up a great set of opportunities for talented members of its site to win their way into the Open, offering 30 seats to the upcoming tournament series.

The Irish Open 2011 Mega Satellite promotion will be open for entry beginning on the evening of 3rd April, 2011 and will offer up 30 prize packages (each valued at €4,600) aimed at giving amateur talent a shot at proving themselves against the pros. Paddy Power members can buy into the Mega Satellite for €320 and try their skills against other competitors for a chance at winning one of the available prizes. Winners will receive five nights of accommodations at Dublin’s Burlington Hotel, travel expenses and buy-in to the games. Paddy Power Poker is also giving each of its Mega Satellite victors another opportunity through its €100,000 Sole Survivor promotion. Sole Survivor will award a lavish cash prize to the qualifier that’s able to outlast all of his or her fellow competitors once they’ve arrived at the Irish Open itself.

Considering that regular buy-ins to the open stand at €3,500, the Mega Satellite represents a great avenue for dedicated players to bankroll their way to the upcoming tournament series. Paddy Power Poker is one of the key backers of the Irish Open 2011, set to take place from 22nd-25th April at downtown Dublin’s The Burlington Hotel.

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Full Tilt Poker Puts a New Spin on Sit-and-Go with Matrix Tournaments

Full Tilt Poker has just announced a surprising new addition to its line-up of upcoming events by unveiling the Matrix Tournaments. Promoted as a new take on classic sit-and-go games, the Matrix Tournaments are meant to give serious poker players a more personal version of the beloved play style.

The Matrix Tournaments are, at their core, sit-and-go tournaments. The primary innovation of the games, however, is that Matrix will see players dividing their attention across four simultaneous tables while in competition with eight, recurring opponents. The tournaments offer an interesting, “grudge match” take on the usual sit-and-go formula, making competitors continuously battle against one another until only one, lone entrant is left standing. The final three positions at the table will receive standard sit-and-go pay-outs and bonuses based on performance from a Matrix jackpot set at $90. Aside from the cash on hand, Full Tilt will also award a single “Survival Point” for each of the opponents they’re able to outlast and “Knockout Points” for competitors they’re able to eliminate from play. The player that is able to collect the highest number of points, triumphing over all four tables, will be dubbed the “Dominatrix” and receive prize money from the entire Matrix pool and individual table earnings.

Full Tilt Poker’s decision to create a brand new style of tournament play will definitely please poker fans with a taste for experimentation. The Matrix Tournament promises a fresh spin on a proven style of play and should give site members a great new venue for plying their skills against others.

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PKR Poker 2011 Update

PKR.com, the 3D online poker service, is set to increase the popularity of its already impressive software with the announcement of a brand new update. The successful internet gaming site has streamlined its existing services while adding in essential new features in order to give its players an even better venue for their gaming.

The new PKR.com software update, version 2.04, adds a host of new tools and options that are designed to make the site the ideal choice for poker fans of all types. Star among the new additions is a drastic increase in PKR’s hands-per-hour rate. PKR’s website designers have worked hard to eliminate any unnecessary pauses in gameplay by removing redundant hand animations and allowing more of the site’s visuals to run simultaneously. PKR.com told press that this increased speed will be most noticeable in heads-up and short-handed tables and that site tournaments look to feature a faster and more action-packed pace. The update also sees PKR adding in some 16 new player voices and 8 new dealer voices for a sum total of more than 25,000 lines of fresh dialogue.

Not content to settle for all of the improvements listed above, the 2.04 update will also add in an entirely new blackjack game that is meant to fit in alongside PKR.com’s previous addition of roulette to their service. The greater diversity of game styles and update to PKR’s existing poker options is sure to garner further acclaim for the multiple award-winning gaming platform.

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Bodog Makes History with Billionth Blackjack Hand

One of the web’s most popular online gaming networks, Bodog.com, has just made world history by dealing out its billionth blackjack hand. The setting of a new record was duly noted by Bodog Casino, which has offered a fantastic pair of prize options to the lucky, billionth hand player.

To celebrate its achievement, Bodog.com has sought out the site member that played the historic hand and given the fortunate man or woman an opportunity to share in the festivities. It’s online casino site is now offering the player their choice of two massive awards, provided entirely by Bodog. The prizes consist of either a trip to the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix (along with trackside accommodations and access to a private boat) or an all-inclusive vacation to luxurious Turtle Island, Fiji. Mark Leighton, Casino Manager for Bodog, told press that his company was delighted to have reached this landmark and wanted to thank its loyal fan base for making it possible.

Bodog is now the first gaming site to have achieved such a high number of dealt blackjack hands. While other networks have reached one billion poker hands throughout their operations (including, of course, Bodog Poker), blackjack is a less popular game and hitting the same mark is a difficult task that demonstrates Bodog Casino’s massive success in its industry. The billionth blackjack hand was dealt on the evening of Friday, 4th March.

Lucky Party Poker Member Hits Bad Beat Jackpot

The Party Poker bad beat jackpot, a progressive cash prize that has been increasing in value over time, has just been awarded to one lucky member of the popular online poker network. More than $479,000 was paid out to the winner last week, marking the end of the jackpot’s steady growth since its last cash-out.

The massive bad beat jackpot at Party Poker was awarded to a German player using ‘Praetorianer’ as his online handle. Praetorianer was playing for a $609 pot against seven other players at a standard, $2/$4 Party Poker table when his bad luck suddenly turned into surprisingly good fortune. After going all in with quad tens he was beaten out by opponent, ‘rol007’, who put down a royal flush to take home the pot and defeat Praetorianer’s fantastic hand. Although initially upset by his misfortune, Praetorianer was soon delighted to learn that his loss qualified him for entry into the bad beat jackpot where he was eventually awarded the $479,101 prize. Rol007 earned an additional $239,550 and the remaining members of the table were each provided with $34,221.

Party Poker’s bad beat jackpot is a regular feature on the site that gives players the opportunity to strike it rich off of their best stories of defeat. Praetorianer’s recent win is only one example of the fantastic prizes that have been awarded in the past and serves as a great example of just how quickly bad luck can turn to good through the help of the internet gaming site.

Registration for PKR Social London Opens Now at PKR.com

Leading online poker network, PKR.com, is now offering buy-ins and registrations for the upcoming PKR Social London event. PKR’s celebration of the game is set to take place at the end of March at London’s Fox Poker Club and will feature plenty of action — both for spectators and players — as it gathers together an assembly of devoted poker fans.

Poker players have plenty of reasons for getting excited about PKR Social London. Registered players will enjoy access to two nights of tournaments and fun with fellow enthusiasts and stars from PKR’s team of professionals. Friday evening will feature Sit-and-Go Madness, a line-up of sit-and-go competitions and free drinks while Saturday hosts the $130 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament. Players can opt to compete in PKR Social London’s most exciting feature by taking advantage of a newly opened direct buy-in to the gathering’s main event. Top prizes are available in amounts as high as $4,000 and additional cash rewards are on offer through Team PKR Pro player bounties and more.

The two-day affair promises great times for poker fans that wish to show off their skills and meet fellow competitors in an exciting setting. PKR Social London has been scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday, 25th-26th March at the Fox Poker Club. Friday’s Sit-and-Go Madness begins in the evening while Saturday’s main event kicks off at 1pm.

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Doyle’s Room Moves from Cake Network to Rival, Yatahay Poker Network

Doyle’s Room is one of the most successful online poker sites currently operating and its position as a member of the Cake Network is important to the latter company. Now Doyle’s Room has decided to move its business to one of Cake’s major rivals, the Yahatay Poker Network, giving a boost to Yahatay’s reputation.

The decision to move from Cake Network to Yatahay Poker Network was made by Doyle’s Room in order to offer the poker site’s members a better experience with deeper levels of customization. Doyle’s Room has already started to give its players new features that has been made possible by taking advantage of Yahatay’s exclusive software. Site members only need to launch their game client as usual and download an automatically prompted update to migrate their accounts to Yahatay Poker Network. They will then be able to experience Doyle’s Room’s new direction and begin enjoying a more robust software offering as they play.

Cake Network has been struck a serious blow as Doyle’s Room leaves the network for Yahatay but the move is sure to improve the playing experience for members of the site. Doyle Brunson, the legendary poker player and website namesake, spoke to press of his excitement to be the newest member of Yahatay and give members the ability to enjoy better promotions, customer service (like the return of chat and telephone support options) and software features.

PKR.com Takes Home the 2011 Online Poker Operator of the Year Award

PKR.com has always been a popular choice for online poker players due to its bustling player activity, regular promotions and excellent software and now, for the second consecutive year, it has been awarded the title of Online Poker Operator of the Year. The 2011 Online Poker Operator of the Year award is responsible for providing acclaim for sites that have demonstrated excellence in their operations throughout the year, celebrating platforms that provide optimal customer experiences.

The International Gaming Awards (IGA), managed by Clever Duck Ltd, hosts an annual award ceremony that selects the best online gaming platforms. The award for Online Poker Operator of the Year was given to PKR.com, the renowned 3D poker site, for PKR’s second time. It received recognition from the IGA on the basis of its consistently “engaging and immersive poker experience”. The global economic downturn has made it difficult for many online poker operators and such recognition is sure to help keep PKR profitable.

The IGA’s also provided awards for some of 2011’s other most notable online gaming companies. Foxy Bingo picked up the title of Best Online Bingo Operator while awards were also provided in categories that include Best Casino Operator (divided by region), Customer Experience of the Year, Eco Friendly Company, Socially Responsible Casino Operator of the Year and more.

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PKR.com Begins to Offer 2011 Asian Poker Tour Satellites

PKR.com is giving its players yet another reason to anticipate the upcoming 2011 Asian Poker Tour (APT) through a set of recently revealed satellites. The PKR satellites are designed to give online hopefuls an opportunity to try their luck at winning free seats to the APT’s Philippines leg — and maybe even jumpstart a career in the competitive field of professional level poker.

PKR.com will be offering its 2011 APT satellites (beginning on Monday, 17th January) as a weekly site feature. Each Monday evening, PKR members will be able to log onto the site to compete in satellite tournaments that give the winners the opportunity to test their skills against some of the best known professionals in the world. The Philippines stop of the 2011 APT (that the satellite provides a seat for) will run for five days beginning on 30th March. Satellite buy-ins range from as inexpensive as $2.28 or as much as £215.

In previous years PKR.com gave one of its members the chance of a lifetime by awarding him with seats that would go on to establish him as a major force in the world of professional poker. Last year Adrien ‘Zlatan35’ Allain entered into a $6 satellite, managed to beat out all of his competitors and eventually take home a $390,000 prize and the honour of becoming a member of Team PKR Pro.

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Everest Poker Launches The One, a Brand New Land-Based Tournament

Everest Poker is looking to give poker players another shot at making their name and taking home some serious money through a brand new tournament series. The upcoming, land-based event has been named “The One” and will kick off this spring at one of Europe’s most beautiful and prestigious venues.

The One will take place in Monte Carlo over three days in late April, providing a number of fantastic tournaments for players to try their hand at. Everest Poker will feature a guaranteed one million euro prize pool and a €5,300 buy-in Main Event that is sure to draw the attention of dedicated competitors. Side events currently scheduled include a €25,000 No-Limit Hold’Em, €500 No-Limit Hold’Em Turbo and €1,000 Buy-In No-Limit Hold’em tournament. Everest has opened up direct buy-ins and has also launched online qualifiers (including a number of satellite freerolls) through its website. Plenty of talented amateurs will be able to attend The One through these qualifiers and Everest Poker is working hard to bring even more into the fold through prize packages (valued at €6,600) that will give lucky winners a trip to Monte Carlo along with accommodation, Main Event buy-in and airfare.

Everest Poker plans to instate The One as an annual event and hopes that it will go on to become an integral part of the yearly poker season. The tournament series takes place at Monte Carlo’s Salle Des Palmiers casino from 21st to 24th April, 2011.

UltimateBet Signs Prahlad Friedman to Team UltimateBet

Team UltimateBet sponsors some of the poker world’s finest players to represent their brand and compete in both online and offline events. Now, with their decision to sign Prahlad Friedman, a professional competitor with serious talent, they’ve managed to add yet another asset to their world renowned team.

Friedman has long been considered an impossible player to sign, refusing to accept sponsorship from any of the major teams throughout his career to date. Now, however, the 32 year old pro has been locked down by UltimateBet and agreed to act as one of the popular website’s representatives. Prahlad Friedman is certainly no rookie and has been active in the professional poker scene for many years. His most notable accomplishments include a WPT Legends of Poker title, a WSOP bracelet and millions of dollars in collected winnings. Friedman is also well known for his aggressiveness at high-stakes tables and apparent fearlessness in playing even the most expensive hands.

Considering that Team UltimateBet recently lost two of their most recognizable (and successful) members — Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth —their signing of Prahlad Friedman comes just in time. They plan to celebrate their good fortune by running several (currently unannounced) promotions that feature Friedman in some manner. UltimateBet members that want to try their luck against Friedman now can make use of the site’s UltimateBuddy feature to track him down while he’s active at the tables.

Absolute Poker and UltimateBet Overhaul Tournament Leaderboards

Two of the online poker industry’s most popular sites, AbsolutePoker.com and UltimateBet.com, have just launched new and improved versions of their tournament leaderboard systems. The redesigned leaderboards have been overhauled in order to make payout and reward scales distribute more evenly over the entire year, giving all types of poker players more chances at taking home substantial prizes.

Both Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, sites belonging to the Cereus Network, have launched their new leaderboards in an effort to draw players in for an exciting 2011. Weekly, monthly and yearly competitions have been revamped so that payout structuring is more frequent and evenly distributed. The Multi-Table Tournament (MTT) Leaderboard competition found at both sites is the beneficiary of some of the most substantial changes. Monthly MTT leaders will now compete over a $15,000 prize pool each month with the top spot earning $5,000. The best overall player of the year at both Absolute Poker and UltimateBet will receive entry to the World Series of Poker and $10,000 in cash while the runner-up also earns a seat and $5,000. Aside from these differences, Absolute and UltimateBet have bulked up their leaderboard-based freeroll offerings and added additional cash prizes as well.

The new leaderboard system provides online poker players with a great excuse to sign up and log onto Absolute Poker or UltimateBet and should help to keep both sites viable in a crowded, highly competitive industry. The new tournament leaderboards are live now.

PKR.com Reveals 2010 Player of the Year Winners

PKR.com has just announced the latest winners in its 2010 Player of the Year awards, bringing recognition and noteriety to some of the most appreciated members of its bustling community. Nominations had been coming in to contest organizers throughout the entirety of 2010 and now, with the year at a close, the list of winners has been released.

The PKR.com 2010 Player of the Year awards are divided into a number of different categories that see players winning titles such as Cash Game Player of the Year, Tournament Player of the Year and Forumite of the Year. 2010’s Cash Game Player of the Year went to Vladimir ‘Beyne’ Geshkenbein on the strength of the player’s aggressive play style (particularly in high-stakes, heads-up games) and his record as the first PKR.com member of last year to cash out one million dollars. Tournament Player of the Year was awarded to Norway’s ‘Ovnis’, a well-regarded member of the PKR.com community, winner of 12 major titles and recipient of roughly $80,000 in 2010 earnings. Ireland’s ‘Pkr1princess’ was the winner of the Forumite of the Year title because of her “positive presence in the forums” and work toward orchestrating Leeds-based community meetings.

PKR.com is one of the industry’s most popular online poker networks and its decision to recognize some of the fans that help keep it successful is a welcome one. Site spokespeople issued statements that congratulated the winners and encouraged future entries for 2011 Player of the Year nominations.

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PKR.com Brings Back Christmas Cracker Tournament Series

This Christmas PKR.com is looking to share a gift with its members by hosting a special tournament series that celebrates the holidays with great reward opportunities and exciting competition. The Christmas Cracker tournament series, a hit during previous holiday seasons, is returning to PKR.com with a large prize pool.

Beginning on 23rd December, Christmas Cracker will be lighting up the PKR.com tournament rooms. The series will be made up of 13 events with an estimated total prize pool of $238,000 and a few extra bonus features. Coming alongside the tournament series is PKR’s Santa’s Grotto freeroll, an event that also begins on the 23rd and features impressive, consumer technology giveaways to winners. Entry for Christmas Cracker events requires PKR.com members to buy-in directly whereas Santa’s Grotto will see players receiving 500 chips in their account for each Christmas Cracker tournament they participate in. The two promotional events are linked in this way, encouraging site members to get busy at the tables if they want to rack up courtesy chips for later use.

PKR’s Christmas Cracker tournament series is bound to brighten up the holidays for poker players with the skill to triumph against other competitors. Combined with Santa’s Grotto, a freeroll with an assortment of generous prizes, holiday poker aficionados owe it to themselves to make the time to stop by PKR.com during its two weeks of special events.

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PokerStars Announces Restrictions on Chinese Player’s Accounts

PokerStars, being one of the world’s most successful online poker networks, has had to deal with its share of cheaters over the years. Now, with its recent move to restrict the activity of Chinese players at its tables, it has taken some of its most drastic steps to date to protect its players — and itself.

The new restriction at PokerStars has put a limit on tables, allowing only one player from China to compete at any single ring game table. This step, a fairly drastic one that is sure to draw criticism, was come to by PokerStars due to their fear of the site being the victim of collusion — a term that refers to the creation of secret fraudulent conspiracies. PokerStars is not acting entirely without warrant; in late August of this year illegal activity was being conducted at double or nothing games by several China-based players and, in response to this, PokerStars paid out $2.1 million in damages to affected players. This discovery (and financial hit) lead to PokerStars placing a similar player restriction on sit and go tournaments.

PokerStars has been steadfast about its decision to restrict the number of Chinese players at tables thus far but public criticism could sway the new policy in time. Spokespeople from PokerStars have stated that the new policy is the most effective method for maintaining the site’s integrity.
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PokerStars Hosts the Seventh Annual World Cup of Poker

PokerStars’ sixth World Cup of Poker (WCOP) was a massive success, bringing in poker competitors from across the globe and drumming up plenty of publicity for the organizing company. Now PokerStars has enjoyed yet another highly profitable event with the conclusion of last weekend’s seventh annual WCOP preliminaries.

The latest edition of the WCOP saw participation from players in 56 different nations and tough competition fuelled by a $290,000 cash prize pool. Each region was given the opportunity to advance in teams of four to the top spots in the tournament series. The best seven teams played a divisional qualifying round then were chosen for advancement to an upcoming live finale. Along with being financially rewarded for their success, these lucky seven teams were invited to the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas with PokerStars handling their expenses and accommodation costs. This last step will establish the winner of the 2010 WCOP, providing them with $100,000 and, of course, serious bragging rights.

With PokerStars’ World Cup of Poker continuing to gain steam with each and every instalment, we can look forward to yet another grand tournament next year. For now, the live finale events in the Bahamas is exciting enough; the winners of the 9th to 16th January’s World Cup of Poker VII Main Event will take home $100,000, glory for their nation and the Champion title.

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Full Tilt Poker Adds Draw Poker Games with Software Update

Online poker fans have another reason to sign up at Full Tilt Poker now that the popular website has added even more modes of play to its software. The platform’s most recent update has improved more than just functionality and aesthetics at Full Tilt — it has also added new real-money play options that bring the draw poker format to website fans.

Full Tilt’s new freeplay draw poker options gives site members a great new set of ways to play at their favourite network. 2-7 Triple Draw (both fixed limit and no limit) has been developed for Full Tilt Poker along with Five Card Draw (in pot, fixed and no limit options), fixed-limit A5 Triple Draw, fixed limit 2-7 Single Draw and fixed limit Badugi styles. Each of these new play formats will feature the same high level of quality that Full Tilt Poker has become known for and some of the styles will be included in upcoming mixed game series and tournaments. Draw fans can look forward to seeing 2-7 Triple Draw, 2-7 Single Draw and Badugi in new seven game mixes and traditionalists can avoid playing draw by sticking to Full Tilt’s original mixed options.

This software update brings a major set of new formats to Full Tilt Poker, providing a great reason for players to try their hand at the varied skill set that draw requires.

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PokerStars Releases Full Schedule for British and Irish Regional Championships of Online Poker

PokerStars’ Regional Championships of Online Poker (RCOOP) continues to heat up around the world with the announcement of the international tournament series’ upcoming UK and Ireland leg. Details of the British and Irish RCOOP edition have been released from PokerStars and they’re sure to impress prospective players.

The upcoming RCOOP stop has been scheduled for early December and will come with a minimum $512,500 guaranteed prize pool. PokerStars has set up a total of eleven events that begin on 5th December via a $55 buy-in no-limit re-buy six max tournament (with a $40,000 guaranteed prize pool). The kick-off day will also feature a $215 buy-in pot-limit Omaha hi-lo event (with a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool) and continue on with a 6th December no-limit double chance set (with a $25,000 prize pool). PokerStars’ RCOOP stays in Britain and Ireland through until 12th December’s main events: a massive, $320 buy-in pot-limit Omaha tournament ($25,000 guaranteed) and $520 buy-in no-limit event ($150,000). Every one of the days, from kick-off to finale, also comes packed with great tournament games and enormous prize pools.

As with all other legs of the event, the UK and Ireland RCOOP will be open only to legal residents of the host nations. British and Irish players should be sure to enter now for a chance at taking home some of the prize money on offer from PokerStars’ Regional Championships of Online Poker.

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Full Tilt Poker Cracks Down on Users with Automated Bot Programs

Massively popular online poker network, Full Tilt Poker, is launching a comprehensive crackdown on users that make use of automated bots at site tables. The move looks to keep Full Tilt users safe from cheating and ensure that all members can enjoy wagered online poker games without worrying about unfair play practices.

Full Tilt sent a mass email message to a large number of its registered players recently. Attached was an announcement that website users found running bot programs in the past and future would have (and had) their accounts permanently closed. Bots are software programs that are capable of handling automated tasks without user input. The kind of bots that sometimes show up on online poker servers are capable of running complex algorithms at fast speeds — an application that allows some users to cheat other players out of their stakes. Full Tilt Poker (and many other online poker sites) maintain anti-bot rules that puts their users in violation of website guidelines.

Full Tilt Poker also refunded funds to players that were able to prove that they had been victimized by cheating. Those that had lost money against bots had their accounts credited and any player that had witnessed unfair play were urged to contact Full Tilt’s security team. Although it’s difficult for major online poker platforms to completely safeguard their members from cheaters, Full Tilt Poker has made a positive step with their recent actions.

Ladbrokes Poker Adds Privacy Options for Anonymous Gaming

Internet privacy is an important issue that continues to gain interest as more and more web-users become aware of the dangers associated with sharing their information online. Ladbrokes Poker seeks to increase security and encourage innovative play-styles across its gaming network by giving site members new ways to protect themselves at the tables.

Ladbrokes Poker has announced a new software upgrade that will allow players to compete in matches anonymously, hiding their avatars and aliases if they choose to. The technology behind the upgrade is still patent-pending but, once launched, will become the online poker community’s first anonymity option. As part of the system’s implementation, Ladbrokes will be adding a selection of “anonymous tables” wherein all players will be able to compete without seeing any of their opponent’s notes, tags or other personal information. Playing as an anonymous member will give competitors the ability to try out new tactics and strategies without tarnishing their reputations or providing their opponents with information about their style. Even aside from its security benefits, Ladbrokes Poker’s update should help to keep play dramatic and unpredictable for serious and novice members alike.

The innovative software is a great step forward that should help to keep security-cautious online poker players feeling safe as they enjoy the game. Beyond its benefits to site members, Ladbrokes Poker new feature is also a precedent-setting tool that could become a regular component of all major online poker platforms if it is well received.

Full Tilt Poker Signs Tennis Player, James Blake, as Newest Brand Ambassador

Full Tilt Poker has found its newest brand ambassador in American tennis professional, James Blake. As the online poker company’s latest Friend of Full Tilt signing, Blake will act as sponsor to the site and help drive up business through participation in appearances, wearing branded apparel and more.

Yonkers, New York’s Blake has enjoyed a successful career in tennis that has seen him lead the US Davis Cup since 2001, only two years after his start as a professional athlete in 1999. During this time, Blake has maintained a record that shows 20 wins and only nine losses. He’s perhaps best known for his part in the US’s landmark competition against Russia in 2007 wherein he helped in taking the tournament four games to one by winning both of his matches. Only 32 years old, Blake has struggled to maintain his career as a tennis pro since a viral infection affected him with blurred vision and partial paralysis. Despite his ailments, he most recently appeared at this year’s US Open and made it to the third round of play.

Aside from tennis, Blake has also founded the Thomas Blake Senior Memorial Cancer Research Fund in memory of his father. He hopes to raise one million dollars for the Fund through merchandising efforts and his new position as a Friend of Full Tilt Poker will contribute.

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PokerStars Announces Its Upcoming, International Poker Tournament

Inspired by the success of its recent World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), PokerStars is at it again with another massive event that looks to get the whole world playing online. The Regional Championships of Online Poker has just been announced by PokerStars and it features a grand scope that is sure to drum up excitement for the international online poker community.

PokerStars’ Regional Championships of Online Poker (RCOOP) will consist of 13 tournaments that will play out across the globe (with full multi-lingual chat room support) and an enormous guaranteed prize pool of seven million dollars total. Each of the tournaments will consist of eleven events that are open to players within set international regions. The first leg of the RCOOP will kick off on 31st October and be available to residents of nations such as Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and more. Events continue in Nordic and Baltic countries on 4th November and will move to Germany, Spain, the UK and North America throughout the rest of the year.

Buy-ins will be set to accommodate a wide variety of bankrolls and PokerStars has also announced that a satellite series will accompany the tournament series. With such a large cash guarantee and comprehensive entry guidelines the RCOOP looks to be a great way to bring lucrative online poker play to audiences that are often overlooked in virtual series.

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Team PKR Pro Signs England’s Scott Shelley as Newest Acquisition

Team PKR Pro has always been renowned as one of the finest collections of professional players in the game and now, with their most recent signing, their positive reputation is set to continue. London, England’s Scott Shelley has become the newest member of PKR.com’s group of brand representatives and looks to bring substantial talent and future potential to the line-up.

Shelley, a 24 year old player and previous employee of PKR.com, has garnered attention recently for his outstanding performance at live tournaments like the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE). Most recently, Shelley outlasted 581 competitors at the WSOPE’s £1,075 buy-in no-limit hold’em event, cashing £133,857, earning a WSOPE bracelet and, perhaps most importantly, catching the attention of Team PKR Pro. Now he has been promoted from his old position as PKR.com customer service representative to that of a full-time poker professional. A regular competitor in both online and live games, Shelley has established an impressive reputation, even taking down notable pros like Phil Ivey, JP Kelly and Phil Hellmuth thus far in his career.

Shelley is set to make his debut as a sponsored player at PKR.com’s upcoming London Calling festival and will continue his sponsorship with Team PKR Pro at November’s PKR Live V. PKR.com site members will be able to share in the celebrations as the online poker platform prepares to launch a week of special promotional events tied in with Shelley’s acquisition.

PokerStars Signs Liv Boeree as Newest Member of Its Pro Team

One of the fastest growing stars in the professional poker world, Liv Boeree, is now the newest member of Team PokerStars Pro. PokerStars has just announced the addition of Boeree to their roster of professional players, taking her on as a team member fresh off her latest victory at the European Poker Tour’s San Remo leg.

Throughout the last several years Liv “The Iron Maiden” Boeree has become one of the most recognizable faces in the poker world. A 26 year old former model and actress, Boeree was previously working under the sponsorship of Ultimate Bet and has enjoyed the bulk of her success during her affiliation with the online casino and poker network. Now Boeree belongs to Team PokerStars Pro and will make her first appearance as a member of the team at the upcoming £5,000 buy-in European Poker Tour London stop. Boeree is a graduate of the University of Manchester, a heavy metal guitarist and a noted player with over €2.3 million in career earnings and cashes over 26 major tournaments.

PokerStars has likely made a great decision by signing Liv Boeree as one of its players and brand representatives. Last April, Boeree emerged triumphant at the European Poker Tour’s San Remo tournament, cashing €1.25 million and furthering her reputation as one of the most watched young female players in the game.

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Full Tilt Poker Adds The Black Card Program for Dedicated Poker Players

High stakes Full Tilt Poker players are in for a real treat as the popular online gaming platform has now introduced a new range of VIP features aimed at amply rewarding points collectors with cash bonuses and more. The recently launched program is designed with the site’s higher end fan base in mind and should work as a draw for those poker players with the bankroll and skill to support more expensive tables.

Full Tilt Poker’s new feature, The Black Card, has just gone live and gives serious competitors a number of great reasons to play their very best at every game. The Black Card is aimed at a distinct demographic — those that wager higher amounts frequently — and allows these competitors to enjoy special privileges through a private store that exchanges points for cash, luxury items and branded merchandise. Full Tilt Poker requires The Black Card participants to maintain a minimum 500 points average throughout a hundred day rolling period. In order to stay enrolled in the program site members must ensure that their points balance stays at the given average and can easily monitor this through a new personal page and The Black Card status widget now found in the Full Tilt lobby.

The majority of major online poker networks seek to appeal to all types of players and Full Tilt’s decision to provide incentive for high rollers is a great step toward making their platform an attractive choice for serious competitors.

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UltimateBet’s Ultimate Bet Online Championship 5 a Massive Success

Online poker site UltimateBet recently wrapped up the fifth edition of its UltimateBet Online Championship (UBOC), the second UBOC of 2010, and is now providing details of just how successful its most recent series was. With millions of dollars in prizes awarded and an enormous swell in site traffic noted, UBOC5 is being regarded by the poker network as a great payoff to its risky decision to host two series in a single year.

UBOC5 saw UltimateBet members playing for generous cash prizes across twelve days of fierce competition. UltimateBet has revealed that, throughout the series, over four million dollars in prize money was awarded to event winners and that the series saw some 8,712 members entered into the series. UBOC5 consisted of 20 guaranteed events in which 911 participants took home a portion of the $3,912,260.00 prize pool. 416 other entrants cashed on the $100,000 of extra, promotional prize money available through single event satellites and pro bounties.

The UltimateBet Online Championship 5 kicked off on 18th August and finished eleven days later with a climatic, one million dollar prize pool main event ($1,050 buy-in no-limit hold ‘em) hosted by celebrity pro, Phil Hellmuth. UltimateBet told press that it was delighted to see such enthusiasm displayed for the trial run of what could very well become a bi-annual series.

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DoylesRoom.com Announces Punta Cana Poker Classic Prize Packages

With winter fast approaching there’s never been a better time to escape to the Caribbean. Now, with the announcement of their latest promotion, Doyle’s Room is looking to help send a few lucky players to the Dominican Republic for this November’s $100,000 Punta Cana Poker Classic.

Weekly tournaments have already opened for Doyle’s Room players to enter. Each of these Texas hold ‘em tournaments allows competitors to vie for one of the many Punta Cana Poker Classic prize packages recently made available. Each Sunday Doyle’s Room has $162 buy-in tournaments (beginning at 4pm EST) that award winners with the aforementioned prize. The Punta Cana entry package is valued at $3,100 and includes a $1,100 buy-in, $1,000 for travel expenses and four nights of accommodations at the all-inclusive Moon Palace Casino, Golf and Spa Resort. Daily satellites that provide winners with access to the weekly Punta Cana tournaments have also begun and feature $11 buy-ins.

Competition is sure to be tough as Doyle’s Room members battle it out for access to a fantastic vacation and poker event but, if you’re unable to win a spot for this year don’t despair: Doyle Brunson told press that this year’s tournament promotion may be a precursor to Doyle’s Room taking on the role of official sponsor to future Punta Cana Poker Classic events. The 2010 Punta Cana Poker Classic takes place from 10th to 14th November and will see Brunson and DoylesRoom.com pro players in attendance.

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PokerStar’s Reveals Massive Guaranteed Prize for Upcoming WCOOP

PokerStars ’ 2010 World Championships of Online Poker (WCOOP) is looking even more lucrative for skilled competitors as the online poker site recently announced a fantastic main event guarantee that will see the series champion take home at least two million dollars. Already a great tournament series with plenty of excitement, this year’s WCOOP looks to be an even bigger and better event now that the main event will encourage fierce and intense play with one of the largest online poker tournament payouts ever offered.

Since it kicked off last week the WCOOP has been thrilling spectators and participants alike with a line of tournaments that feature world-class players and great prizes. The series’ debut tournament began with a $215 buy-in no-limit hold ‘em six-maximum battle and is currently continuing on with a total prize pool guaranteed at over $50 million. The 2010 WCOOP will spread the $50M minimum across over 62 events. PokerStars has released details of buy-ins that range from $215 to $25,500 (for 18th-19th September’s no-limit hold ‘em high-roller two-day tournament).  
   
Thus far, eight competitors have already won over eleven million dollars with the bulk of the prize money yet to be awarded. The PokerStars 2010 WCOOP main event is scheduled for 26th September. It will consist of a two-day $5,200 buy-in no-limit hold ‘em tournament with a $2M guarantee that should easily overtake the already impressive $1,715,200 sum won by (last year’s WCOOP main event champ) Yevgeniy Timoshenko.

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PKR.Com and London’s The Fox Poker Club Announce London Calling Festival

PKR.Com and London’s The Fox Poker Club have teamed up to bring poker fans a fantastic month of live dealer tournaments with buy-in amounts appropriate for any level of player. Throughout October and early November the two poker giants will host London Calling, a festival dedicated to the beloved game, sharing fantastic prizes and the chance to compete for bragging rights at a massive series of events.

Beginning on 11th October and running for 28 days, London Calling will give poker players the opportunity to enjoy a total of 57 tournaments. The games are staked to suit any bankroll with buy-ins set at amounts as low as £20 and as high as £100. Various playing styles will also be represented, London Calling featuring no-limit hold ‘em, heads-up, pot-limit Omaha, pot-limit Omaha eight games and a two-day HORSE series. The festival will wrap up on 7th November with a £300 buy-in main event and a PKR.Com leaderboard will see online participants being able to covert finishing position points into stacks that can be used at a future PKR freeroll tourney.  

The Fox Poker Club and PKR.Com told press that London Calling was designed in order to give all levels of players the ability to compete in a high quality tournament without the intimidating stakes of professional series. PKR.Com is celebrating more than four years of success in the online poker industry and has recently revealed that it holds 3.75 million registered members and has provided almost three million dollars in freeroll tournaments.

William Hill Unveils New and Improved Layout for Its Poker Site

William Hill poker players are in for an improved experience at their site of choice as the online poker platform has announced an update that seeks to boost performance and provide fans with great new features. The site revision will see the addition of fantastic tools and software functions that are designed with ease of use and flexibility in mind.

William Hill Poker and Playtech have been working hard to make their site an even bigger hit with existing members and prospective registrants by creating new features and redesigns that make play simpler than ever before. Changes include a complete poker table redesign that allows for cascading multiple tables, multi-monitor support and table resizing. Player status updates have also been revamped(with improved graphics and flashing avatars) in order to make it easier to identify an active hand or remaining time. Lastly, William Hill has also improved chat functionality by adding a side toolbar that can list statistics, hand histories, settings, commentary and notes. All of these features are customizable and allow members to tailor the platform to their specific needs.  
   
Each of the new features should help to further William Hill Poker’s position as one of the online poker industry’s most successful businesses. The redesign goes a long way toward making William Hill’s software amoung the most flexible currently available and should hold appeal for both serious and casual online poker players.  

Titan Poker Gives Players the Opportunity to Face Off Against a Team Titan Pro

Titan Poker’s newest bounty tournament is giving the site’s fans a chance to get closer than ever to Team Titan’s professionals. Team Titan Bounty has been revised and improved, turning a favourite site feature into a reoccurring event that gives Titan Poker members the chance to win big while testing their skills against some of the poker world’s most talented professionals.

The new Team Titan Bounty tournaments have already begun and are set to take place every week. Buy-ins are set at six dollars and, if a competitor is able to take down one of the Team Titan Pro players, they’ll be awarded with $100. Each week the top Bounty players will join a list that provides access to a heads-up qualifier (with the next qualifier scheduled for 1st November) that sees Titan Poker champions battling for the chance to win additional (but still unspecified) prizes.

A number of Team Titan Pro players have already confirmed their participation in the event. Thus far Team Titan has announced the inclusion of seven pros: Sam Trickett, Jonas Klausen, Yann Brosolo, Joel Benzinou, Sorel Mizzi, Marvin Rettenmaie and Florian Desgouettes. Titan Poker members that have watched these pros triumph at the 2010 World Series of Poker are sure to be excited about a chance to test themselves against them in upcoming Team Titan Bounty tournaments.

Party Poker Greets Winter Early with September’s “The Snowball” Promotion

Most of us are trying to keep winter out of our minds as we enjoy the last days of summer but not Party Poker. The company’s upcoming promotion, The Snowball, anticipates the arrival of colder weather as it kicks off early September, demonstrating that there may be more reason to look forward to the end of the summer than we think.

Online poker players will enjoy the chance to compete for hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout participant prizes ($5,000) and freeroll tournaments ($100,000) both up for grabs during September at Party Poker. Players are able to win 15 prizes and the entry terms set for The Snowball couldn’t be easier to satisfy. Party Poker members need only play at real money tables from 1st to 30th September to gain points that allow them to move up through levels. The greater a player’s level, the larger the amount of prizes they are eligible for. Points accumulate from level to level, allowing poker fans to snowball their chance at exceptional cash prizes.

Party Poker will be hosting The Snowball throughout the entire month of September with finals ($5,000-$50,000 freerolls) taking place at 2.30PM EST from 4th October through until 8th October. The promotion was designed for players of all skill levels and points can be earned by playing at any real money table, regardless of entry stakes.

Doyle’s Room Gives Members the Chance to Win Seats at Todd Brunson Montana

Doyle’s Room online poker players are being given the opportunity to take their game to the next level as the website launches a special promotion set on sending talented players to the Todd Brunson Montana Challenge. The Challenge, set to take place at the end of this month, is one of the biggest events of the season and Doyle’s Room is doing its best to help ensure that as many of its site’s members as possible are able to attend.

Seats at the Todd Brunson Montana Challenge will be awarded to Doyle’s Room members through three different methods. The first, direct method allows players to buy into the promo’s 22nd August grand final event (for $226.60). One of every ten players at the tournament will be given a prize package that includes a seat at the Montana Challenge. Doyle’s Room will also be hosting a weekly satellite (with a $22.70 buy-in) that will provide one of every ten players with a spot in the grand final. Finally, site members can also take part in daily satellites (beginning at 4.00pm EST at a buy-in of $2.22). The player that progresses to the end of the satellites will also receive entry to the Montana Challenge.

Doyle’s Room will sponsor the Todd Brunson Montana Challenge as it gears up to take place this 31st August through to 6th September, 2010 at Big Fork, Montana. The $226.60 buy-in grand final kicks off at 3.00pm EST on 22nd August.

2010 Asian Poker Tour Main Event Returns to Manila in August

Poker fans can look forward to the last week of August when the 2010 Asian Poker Tour (APT) returns to Manila, Phillipines for an upcoming leg of the series. The event will see competitors duking it out throughout seven days from within the Resorts World Manila building for the title of 2010 APT champion and, of course, a generous cash prize furnished by sponsors such as PartyPoker and PKR.

The Manila stop of this year’s APT will include a Main Event buy-in set at approximately $2,700 as well as eight side events that include a pot-limit Omaha event, a high roller tournament and the Greed competition, an APT original. For those that aren’t content just to watch the exciting competition play out remotely, leading online poker sites (such as PartyPoker, PKR and the iPoker Network) are set to offer qualifiers and satellite games that give members the chance to travel to the event and try their hand against the pros.

The previous APT Main Event was won by the Phillipines’ own Neil Arce, awarding the player $185,000 and marking him as the first Filipino to win an international poker tournament in his native country.  Arce has already confirmed that he will be defending his title when the 2010 Asian Poker Tour Manila leg begins on 23rd August and runs until 30th August.  

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BetFair Poker Joins Ongame Network Limited and Gives Back to Fans

It’s fairly common to see online gambling companies merging and partnering with other corporations but it’s quite rare that such an event actually leads to rewards for members of the sites in question. BetFair Poker, one of the industry’s most successful online poker websites, is breaking the mold however by joining Ongame Network Limited and sharing an increase in liquidity with site members.

Ongame Network Limited (a subsidiary of Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG) is the owner of the P5 Poker Engine and will be adding BetFair to its global network by the end of this month. This deal will see a number of changes to the poker site such as an increase in revenue, a greater number of available players and rooms at any time and the implementation of the P5 Poker Engine. Perhaps most exciting, BetFair will celebrate the move by offering up $500,000 in new promotions. These will kick off on 27th July and carry on through until 20th August.  

Registered members of BetFair Poker can expect to see big changes toward the end of July and ongoing promotions and site improvements into the future. The most exciting events to watch out for include twice daily $500 freerolls (with no entry requirements), a $60,000 rake race (that promises cash rewards to the top 100 competitors) and leaderboard competitions with $30,000 in cash available to winners.

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PokerStars’ Peter Eastgate, Youngest Ever WSOP Champion, Quits Poker

Poker fans were amazed by 22 year old Peter Eastgate’s performance at the 2008 World Series of Poker when he took not only the title of Main Event champion but also became the youngest player to do so. Now, less than two years after setting the record, Eastgate is shocking industry spectators again by announcing that he’s retiring from professional poker.

Eastgate hails from Denmark and became an instant star after defeating Russia’s Ivan Demidov at the 2008 WSOP and cashing over nine million dollars. His win broke the previous record for youngest WSOP champion held by Phil Hellmuth (who triumphed in 1989 when he was only 24 years old) and also gave Eastgate access to the lucrative sponsorship opportunities that led to his signing with Team PokerStars Pro. Despite a career that continued to demonstrate a profound level of talent, Eastgate recently announced that he has lost his motivation for playing professional poker. Stating that his goal was always just to become financially independent, Eastgate now feels that the poker world has little left for him.

Neither PokerStars nor Eastgate have spoken to press as to the young player’s future plans but, for better or worse, they won’t include the world of professional poker. Peter Eastgate has only commented that he wants to “. . . try to focus on Peter Eastgate the person” rather than on his career in cards.

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Full Tilt Poker Announce Schedule and Details for FTOPS XVII

One of the poker world’s favourite annual events, theFull Tilt Poker’s Online Poker Series (FTOPS), has been confirmed for 2010 by organizer and sponsor Full Tilt Poker. FTOPS XVII will return this August with a massive guaranteed prize pool, a packed event schedule and plenty of action for competitors and spectators alike to enjoy.
Since August 2006 the Full Tilt Poker’s Online Poker Series has given poker professionals and fans an annual series worth anticipating. This year’s FTOPS XVII continues the trend by offering up a guaranteed $19 million in prizes over a total of 34 events. Leading up to the climatic ($640 buy-in, $3 million minimum guaranteed prize pool) Main Event itself, FTOPS XVII will feature tournaments that include Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo games, No-Limit Hold ‘Em Six Maximum Turbo and HORSE events and a two-day series that will run alongside the Main Event knockout competitions.
Amateur players looking for a chance to enter the series can begin competing in satellite tournaments at Full Tilt Poker’s now. Lucky members will be able to secure a seat while others can still vie for cash prizes and more. The website will also be hosting special freerolls and other tournaments that conincide with August’s FTOPS celebrations. FTOPS XVII kicks off on 4th August, 2010 with a $216 buy-in, $750,000 No-Limit Hold ‘Em tournament.
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Two New Players Join the Team PokerStars Pro Roster

Team PokerStars Pro has added two new members to its prestigious line-up of players. David Williams and Vanessa Selbst mark the two most recent professionals to sign on with PokerStars , both players bringing years of experience and talent to the team.  

Selbst, a Brooklyn, New York native and current Yale Law School student, is only 25 years old and comes to the PokerStars line-up with an impressive resume. Her credentials include roughly $1.5 million in live tournament wins, a World Series of Poker bracelet and impressive showings at various other international events.

Williams, 30 years old and a Texas native, entered the poker world in earnest in 2004 when he made a splash at that year’s World Series of Poker by fighting his way all the way through PokerStars online satellites and to the main event where he nearly won against Greg Raymer. Williams has raked millions of dollars, a bracelet at the 2006 WSOP and titles from high profile events including the World Championship of Online Poker and the 2010 World Poker Tour’s $25,000 Championship.

The roster of professionals at Team PokerStars Pro is sure to benefit from the addition of Williams and Selbst’s combined skill. The website has revealed that David Williams will play under the handle “Dwilliams” and that Vanessa Selbst will use “V.Selbst” for her online sessions.

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PokerStars Opens Satellite Series for the Upcoming EPT Tallinn

Amateur poker players looking to break into a professional event will be happy to learn that PokerStars has just revealed its newest satellite series— and a great prize package for its winners. By providing entry to the upcoming EPT Tallinn premier, PokerStars are giving many hopefuls the chance to compete in one of the largest (and most lucrative) poker events to hit the Baltic region.

The satellite qualifying tournaments for EPT Tallinn have already kicked off with PokerStars recently accepting new entries (at as little as €5.45/250 Frequent Player Points) and outlining prize packages. Just under 50 players have already won their way to EPT Tallinn through PokerStars ’ satellites and the recent PokerStars Baltic Adventure but there are still spots for determined players. Those that are able to triumph in the EPT Tallinn satellite will win a €6,000 value prize package that includes Main Event buy-in, a full week of accommodations and a further €770 in spending cash.

Those that win the satellite will still have to face some tough opponents if they want to make a mark in Estonia however. Team PokerStars Pro members and notable professionals (including Katja Thater, Carter Phillips, Max Lykov, Kevin MacPhee and more) have already signed up to take part in the event.

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Everest Poker Offers Freerolls to Celebrate the Everest Spanish Poker Tour

Everest Poker is giving back to their fans and celebrating this summer’s Everest Spanish Poker Tour at the same time with a series of fantastic freerolls. Serious competitors can hope for the break they need to enter the world of professional poker play by taking part in the many freerolls and satellite games that act as qualifiers at the renowned poker site.

The Everest Spanish Poker Tour’s Castellón leg is kicking off in just a few short months and, to celebrate, Everest Poker has been offering its site members a chance to get in on the action. Sunday, 20 June saw the poker platform giving players the opportunity to qualify for a private tournament, the $2,100 Everest Spanish Poker Tour Freeroll. The Freeroll’s winner will receive a €1,100 buy-in and $1,000 USD for travel and hotel expenses during the 20-22 August, 2010 SPT Castellón stop. It’s not too late to get onto Everest Poker and begin honing your skills in time for the SPT’s other upcoming dates. Already started, Everest is offering another $2,100 Freeroll (scheduled for 19 September, 2010) that also gives its winner a great prize package and a spot at an upcoming SPT date.

The Everest Spanish Poker Tour began on 9 April, 2010 and will continue throughout the summer and fall (with events in August, October and early November) before culminating in a Grand Finale on 23-27 November at the Gran Casino in Costa Brava.

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PokerStars North American Poker Tour Adds Scheduling Details

The PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) has already made waves throughout the continent with its massive prize pools and fierce competition. Now the next event in the series has been announced, bringing the tournament to California and giving PokerStars site members another chance to gain entry.

PokerStars has started to reveal details of the next stop scheduled in its NAPT series, outlining information for this fall’s Los Angeles tour leg. The industry giant has announced that Southern California’s The Bicycle Casino will act as the venue for the fourth event in the NAPT. From 12 November through to 17 November, 2010, poker players will flock to the city to compete in either the $5,000 Buy-In Main Event or a wide variety of side events that have been designed to accommodate any size of bankroll. Team PokerStars Pro, Daniel Negreanu told press of his excitement to compete against California’s local players and the thrill that comes with being part of an event that draws in undiscovered talent from the LA poker community.

As always, PokerStars will be giving its fans the chance to get in on the NAPT excitement through a series of qualifiers and other site-hosted events. The PokerStars North American Poker Tour has previously enjoyed successful events this year as tournaments took place during January (at the Atlantis in Bahamas), February (at Las Vegas’ The Venetian) and, most recently, in April (at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut).

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Finnish Poker Player, Ville Wahlbeck, Signs to Team PokerStars Pro

The prestigious Team PokerStars Pro has just gained its newest member with the signing of Finnish player, Ville Wahlbeck. PokerStars, one of the most popular online poker websites in the gaming industry, officially announced the addition of Wahlbeck to the team recently and will be promoting him at the upcoming PokerStars.com Baltic Festival.

Wahlbeck is thirty-four years old and has become the first Finnish poker player to join PokerStars’ famous team of professional competitors. Hailing from Helsinki, Wahlbeck has made a name for himself through six outstanding years of professional level play. He finally caught the notice of PokerStars when he took down 193 competitors to win a World Series of Poker bracelet, becoming Finland’s first player to do so, and earning a $492,384 cash prize. His performance at the WSOP also saw Wahlbeck cashing six times, receiving over a million dollars, and becoming the runner-up for the title of WSOP Player of the Year.

Team PokerStars Pro is composed of some of the biggest names in the poker world and Wahlbeck now stands alongside celebrities such as Joe Cada, Daniel Negreanu and Vanessa Rousso. Ville Wahlbeck’s first appearance under PokerStars’ sponsorship will be at upcoming the PokerStars.com Baltic Festival in Tallinn, Estonia. In the 2009 edition of the same event, Wahlbeck won $52,000 at the high roller event.

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William Hill Poker Offers $1,000,000 for 2010 World Cup Promotion

William Hill Poker is giving online poker players a great reason to spend a little time away from their TV sets and a little more on their computers throughout this month’s Fifa World Cup. With a fantastic $1,000,000 prize up for grabs and other promotions running alongside this opportunity, William Hill is looking like the best choice for World Cup related poker playing this June and July.

Members of the William Hill Poker site are able to compete in two of the site’s biggest promotions to date through either The $1,000,000 Challenge or an updated version of the World Cup Super Series. The $1,000,000 Challenge gives William Hill members the chance to bet on the outcome of World Cup matches, earning points through poker games and receiving cash or prizes for every accurate football game prediction. Correctly choosing 25 games awards lucky (and skilled) competitors a million dollars. The World Cup Super Series will feature added prizes that are awarded daily to players of the World Cup poker tournaments hosted on the site.

William Hill Poker’s latest promotion promises plenty of exciting competition and incentive for ambitious players with dreams of taking home the million dollar prize. The $1,000,000 Challenge is currently open and accepting players so register or log on today to get started on making your million.

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Full Tilt Poker’s, Annette Obrestad Makes Controversial Comments

Annette Obrestad, one of Full Tilt Poker’s most recognizable names, recently commented on the poker world in a manner that is sure to bait controversy. Speaking out on female poker players and internet poker in general, Obrestad has put herself into the spotlight by criticizing aspects of the game through an ESPN interview.

Obrestad, only 21 years old, hails from Norway and has made a name for herself by becoming one of the youngest female players to reach such a massive level of success in the poker world.

Currently standing as the career leader in live winnings throughout Norway, Obrestad is perhaps most famous for winning a tournament without looking at her hole cards at just 18 years old but, due to her ESPN comments, the Norwegian pro may become better known for her outspoken remarks.

Obrestad covered a few topics in the poker world, criticizing live poker players (including Doyle Brunson) and stating that “… girls suck at poker” because they “…just aren’t as competitive and don’t try to learn from their mistakes.”

No public response has yet been given from either Doyle Brunson or any of the many female poker professionals that are sure to take umbrage with Obrestad’s opinion. Annette Obrestad, an enormously talented player, has still yet to clarify her remarks.

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Full Tilt Finishes FIVE Celebrations with $1.5M Guarantee

As the fifth anniversary celebrations going on at Full Tilt Poker began to wrap up members were given one last chance to help commemorate their favourite site with a massive game. The $1.5 Million Guarantee assisted in winding down the FIVE party by awarding an enormous prize to skilled players who were able to take on fierce competition in order to reach the top of the challenge.  

Some 3,315 player registered to take part in the
$1.5M Guarantee game, providing a tough road for all of those hoping to make a name for themselves as the champion of the event. Ultimately it was one Full Tilt Poker member with the username PAhrPK that took home the glory after a vicious fight for the top spot leading up to the end of the game. Although the heads-up finale occurred between two gifted players it was a relatively brief affair, PAhrPK holding K10 against second place winner blarkin’s A9 and winning with two pair against a board that ran K-3-4-10-9.

The final results saw PAhrPK leave the tables with $296,775.38 in winnings, dwarfing the second place finalist blarkin’s (still considerable) amount of $180,667.50. Third place was relatively close behind with Charles “HellaStacks” Lee netting $117,682.50. Although the rest of the placing contestants couldn’t rise above the $100K mark at the tournament Full Tilt Poker definitely aided in providing a memorable and exciting conclusion to the blowout of the FIVE anniversary celebrations for every challenger entered in the $1.5 Million Guarantee.

Justin Bonomo Secures Win in PokerStars Super Tuesday

PokerStars Super Tuesday is one of the biggest recurring tournaments in online poker and is consistently filled with talented and ambitious players. The second last week of July saw one of these determined contestants rise to the top of the pack, winning plenty of cash (and bragging rights) thanks to some excellent playing and a few spots of good fortune.

Justin Bonomo (who goes by the handle, “ZeeJustin&rdquoWinking went up against a number of other PokerStars members in order to secure a stunning victory at the tables. Of the 389 entrants to the Super Tuesday event Bonomo managed to emerge triumphant, making his way to the final table as chip leader (with 344,256 to the second highest player’s 256,900 chips) and holding the position through until the end of the game. With a 3-1 chip lead, Bonomo went heads up against contender, Mumtum23 and clinched a win with a bit of luck and a decent helping of bravado. Bonomo held a K and 7 of hearts while Mumtum23 was facing a jack of spades and 4 and 9 of hearts with a K of clubs and 4 of diamonds.

Bonomo finished the game with a total of $75,855.00, a considerable lead over second place winner “Mumtum23” (with $57,377.50) and third place entrant, “Opperstoof69” (with $42,790.00). The cash winnings are sure to help finance the PokerStars member as he continues to advance in the game both in online and real-world tournaments.

PartyPoker Launch PokerNews Cup Australia Satellites

Never far behind the latest and greatest events in the gambling world, PartyPoker has now announced the availability of satellite games aimed at sending players to the 2009 PokerNews Cup Australia. Skilled players need to set up an account and enter the $380 or $535 buy-in games in time to take part in the exciting satellites.

PartyPoker is set to challenge competitors with a number of events aimed at getting the best members of the site on their way to global recognition (and maybe a tidy cash sum) via the upcoming PokerNews Cup in Melbourne, Australia.

One of two prize packages are available to winners in the satellite games — the $5,000 or $3,500 Package. The $5,000 Package provides the winner with entry to the Main Event, accommodation at the Crown Promenade Hotel and $1,500 in traveling money. The winner of the $3,500 Package will receive Main Event entry and accommodations at the Crown Promenade as well. Alongside these satellites, PartyPoker has also set up a $6,000 PokerNews Cup Australia Freeroll scheduled for 30
th August.

The 2009 PokerNews Cup Australia is orchestrated by the well known gaming portal/news service, PokerNews and is set to take place from 27
th September to 5th October 2009.  Events at the Cup (including a packed schedule of celebrity games, No-Limit Hold ‘Em tournaments and more) will be held at the famous Crown Casino Melbourne in Australia.

PokerStars Holds on to Guinness World Record for another Year

PokerStars Holds on to Guinness World Record for another Year

After battling it out with another of the world’s most notable
internet poker platforms, fan favourite, PokerStars managed to hold on to its Guinness World Record title for yet another year. The record in question was previously awarded to PokerStars for the site’s ability to hold the largest-ever online poker tournament in 2008, and now, they have been confirmed as the winner of the position for 2009 as well.

PokerStars had to hold off attempts at the record by another enormously popular online poker network,
Full Tilt Poker in the weeks leading up to the award. Earlier in the year PokerStars held an $11 buy-in tournament that attracted a total of 35,000 players to the game.

While this was certainly a difficult milestone to top,
Full Tilt Poker recently announced their plans to top the record as part of their fifth birthday celebrations. Full Tilt’s “The Record Breaker” hosted a 50,000 player cap and a $5 buy-in, all but ensuring the win until PokerStars retaliated with a 60,000 player cap, $1 buy-in event that managed to draw in the full number of players, securing the record for another year.

The site’s ability to provide such an enormous series of games is sure to help drum up publicity for
poker fans and Guinness readers alike. Although Full Tilt Poker failed to wrest the title from PokerStars this year it would still not come as much of a surprise if yet another attempt was made at the record in the time leading up to the Guinness World Records for 2010.

BetFred Poker Launch Summer Tournament Series

BetFred Poker Launch Summer Tournament Series

If poker fans can tear themselves away from the conclusion of the 2009
World Series of Poker then they’re likely to find a number of excellent promotions occurring at their favourite sites, like BetFred’s newest, the Summer Tournament Series.

The BetFred Poker Summer Tournament Series is a massive series already underway at the site and slated to run daily until the end of the season. With buy-ins set as low as 1 cent and a prize pool guaranteed to run at least
$43,000 USD in total the tables at BetFred are sure to be buzzing for the next two months. The company will be adding up to $1,500 with every continuing week of the series. Qualifying games run each and every day — the players that earn their way to the top will then be able to compete in a weekly tournament. These tournaments take place every Friday night at 8pm EST, hosting a re-buy format and starting players with 1,500 chips and a minimum 10-chip blind.

All online poker players need to get in on the
Summer Tournament Series is an account with BetFred Poker and to follow a few simple steps. New registrants must hold a deposited amount sufficient to cover a buy-in to one of the many BetFred tables then compete in a poker game and accumulate a relatively easy 1,000 points (earned from real-money game actions such as betting, winning hands and so forth).

Full Tilt Poker Become Poker Million Sponsors

Full Tilt Poker Become Poker Million Sponsors

An unexpected turn of events has seen one of online poker’s most high profile events, the
Poker Million, switch sponsorship and fall under the wing of internet gaming network, Full Tilt Poker. The company will now be in charge of promoting and backing the prestigious television tournament when it kicks off this summer.

The
Poker Million was formerly sponsored by UK gaming giants, Ladbrokes but is now moving forward into 2009 with a brand new face. Matchroom Sport’s TV poker tournament entered into partnership with Full Tilt Poker as part of a multi-year contract that should ensure some stability with the event for the foreseeable future. As proof of a well-functioning relationship, the two companies have already released details regarding the launch of the 2009 Poker Million, a tournament slated to take place on July 15th at London’s Sky Sports Studios.  

British poker players are apparently delighted to host American professionals in England this summer. Most notably, Roland de Wolfe has compared the Full Tilt/Poker Million union to his “. . . best mate marrying his sister . . .” and gone on record to make boasts about “knocking out” his professional pals from across the pond (specifically, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson and edog) before showing them around his hometown.

Party Poker Advertisement Banned

Party Poker Advertisement Banned

Yet another online gambling advertisement has been removed from broadcasting schedules as the ASA targeted Party Poker’s newest campaign spot. After an evaluation by the regulatory ASA committee the magazine ad was declared as misleading and was thus decided as worthy of banning from future use.

The massively popular
UK poker site recently launched an advertisement campaign in promotion of its $2 million prize pool game. After the filing of a single public complaint, ASA investigators examined the ad’s questionable content, a phrase reading “Players win more at Party Poker” and a small piece of text stating the reference of “Poker Players Research Ltd. Opinion Poll, May 08, Sample size 10,000”. The ASA released a statement regarding their final verdict that explained the rationale behind the removal of Party Poker’s spot, citing the possibility that many readers would misinterpret the advertisement as concrete proof that Party Poker has the largest number of winners amongst competing sites while this ‘fact‘ is unsubstantiated.

The ASA is notoriously critical of even remotely questionable advertisement campaigns from the online gambling industry, hoping to combat addiction through rigorous screening and censoring programs. While many of the removed ads’ offensiveness may be fairly debatable the motive behind the work is often in the interest of gamers themselves, a fact made clear by the censure of Party Poker’s aforementioned ad.

Mansion Poker Expands Service to Russia

Mansion Poker Expands Service to Russia

Premier internet poker service,
Mansion Poker, has announced an expansion of their network intended to capture the interest of Russian players. The popular gaming site spoke to press regarding their release of additional platform programming that will offer a skin of every familiar feature and site bonus for Russian poker fans access.

The language options at
Mansion Poker are already fairly robust but translation services have been geared primarily toward the European market until now. Mansion currently offers linguistic support for speakers of Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, French, German and English. While these options do cover a large portion of Europe, most areas further east in the continent have been left out of inclusion. Now the site will feature a Russian skin as well, allowing access to an enormous number of would-be registrants and players. Mansion Poker management hopes that Russia’s gambling enthusiasts will respond positively to their wealth of special rewards, tournaments and 100 percent sign-up bonus in the same manner as their other demographics, allowing the network to grow even more in the coming months.

Mansion Poker are one of the few European-centred poker sites aiming to take advantage of the
Russian market, a population that has been mostly ignored despite the massive financial potential that can be gained by an intelligent approach to the business sector.

Full Tilt Pros Make Waves at 2009 WSOP

Full Tilt Pros Make Waves at 2009 WSOP

Of all the high-profile
poker teams in attendance at the event perhaps the most impact at this year’s World Series of Poker has been felt through the combined efforts of the Full Tilt Poker professionals. Known for attracting some of the best players in the game, Full Tilt Poker Pros have already managed to pick up six bracelets at just over the halfway point of the 2009 WSOP.

Russian member, Vitaly Lunkin came first in Event #2, marking Full Tilt’s team at the first open event of the series just as Phil Ivey went on to capture his sixth WSOP bracelet and further represent the Full Tilt Poker Pros at the prestigious poker event. Full Tilt also made waves with three days that saw three different team professionals winning bracelets across a trio of tournaments. Greg Mueller and Roland de Wolfe have also helped to contribute winnings to the Full Tilt scoreboard, capturing their first WSOP bracelets at the Triple Crown and $10K World Championship Limit Hold ‘Em respectively.

Full Tilt Poker Pros have definitely proven themselves as the sponsored team to keep an eye on for the remainder of the 2009 World Series of Poker. Considering that there are still roughly fifteen games to be decided in the annual poker event Full Tilt Poker professionals should still be able to make a bit more news by taking even more victories for their sponsors.   

Full Tilt’s FTOPS XIII comes to a Close

Full Tilt’s FTOPS XIII comes to a Close

After several weeks of intense competition the 2009 edition of Full Tilt Poker’s FTOPS has come to a close, unveiling bright new stars in the poker world and marking a record for the site’s venerable tournament series. Immense traffic and enormous cash prizes combined to make for a spectacular finale, all of which lead to the promise of an even larger showing for next summer’s edition.

With over 5,300 entrants to the
FTOPS XIII Main Event the tournament quickly became the largest season of the series to date. The $500+$35 buy-in Main Event ended up hosting a $2,653,000 prize pool, a massive jackpot that lead to fierce competition. “Poligraph” emerged triumphant over the event, earning $453,663 for his troubles.

Close behind was “Inoriisss” with a $315,707 finish and Kameron “Kamdini” McRay with a still impressive $225,505 in winnings. The staggering prize pools were also present in the previously mentioned NL Hold ‘Em games as top competitors took home sums as high as $102,465 (in the Knockout) and $453,687 (in the 6-Max).

Big winners were also declared in the other lead-up events as well, making rich players out of almost every competitor that managed to make their mark on the proceedings. With each year making the Full Tilt Poker FTOPS into a bigger and bigger part of the summer gaming season, fans should be excited to see the fourteenth edition play out when it is announced next year.

Poker in the Park Returns for Third Year

Poker in the Park Returns for Third YearQuickly becoming an annual tradition for British poker enthusiasts, the Poker in the Park festival has been announced as scheduled for its third consecutive year. Set to take place this August, Poker in the Park III will bring back the same festivities and gaming events that have helped to make the event such a success in the past.

Poker in the Park will again be sponsored by
Bluff Europe and a host of eleven leading pub leagues including Red Tooth Poker, Big Time Poker League, Masters Poker League, LondonPubPoker.co.uk and LondonPokerMeetUp.co.uk. These sponsors will band together to offer two days full of traditional poker play and an enormous turbo sit-and-go game. The massive SNG will allow up to 80 players at a time to compete every hour in events sponsored directly by each of the participating pub leagues. Spectators will be able to watch the action from Leicester Square where a giant television screen will broadcast the sit-and-go gameplay.

The events will play out over two days at and around London’s Leicester Square. The first day, Thursday August 13
th will run from five o’clock in the afternoon until nine thirty at night before picking up again on Friday August 14th from noon until nine thirty. Thousands of poker fans are expected to be in attendance again late this summer and the return of pub league sponsors should ensure that Poker in the Park III is no less of a hit than its proven itself in its previous two years. 

This is a link to the official Poker in the Park Website

This is a link to the Bluff Website

Titan Hosts $1K PokerNews Qualifier for the WSOP

Titan Hosts $1K PokerNews Qualifier for the WSOP

Online gaming site, Titan Poker, has announced plans to partner up with PokerNews in a series of events aimed at sending players to the upcoming 2009 World Series of Poker. While even qualifying buy-in spots can be far too expensive for the average player to afford, proving your skill in Titan Poker weekly tournaments may be just the right way to show how worthy you are to compete in the WSOP, regardless of bankroll size.

The partnered sites are hosting a $1000 WSOP Qualifier Freeroll through a sponsorship with affiliate/news site, PokerNews that will reward a first place prize of free access to the Titan Poker $535 WSOP online qualifying rounds. The remaining $465 will be distributed in cash to all other players to make up the rest of the pot but it can be easily predicted that the most action will centre on competition for the WSOP entry spot. Winning the Titan online qualifying will be no easy feat for the tournament champions but, if they’re able to do so, they’ll be heading to Las Vegas with one of the site’s rather hefty $13K prize package.

Users that have registered at Titan Poker through PokerNews are eligible to take part in the freeroll (and a chance to play in this year’s World Series of Poker). The $1000 WSOP Qualifier Freeroll will be hosted at Titan Poker weekly on Tuesdays at 6.45pm GMT throughout the entirety of the month of June.

Full Tilt Online Poker Series Wraps Up

Full Tilt Online Poker Series Wraps Up


After an exciting series of games the eleventh edition of the Full Tilt Online Poker Series has finished up for this year. The tournament came to a close with Sunday’s Main Event, a $500+35 No Limit Hold ’Em game that saw one skilled player walk away with a new title under his belt.

The big winner of the 2009 Full Tilt Online Poker Series is Adam “csimmsux” Geyer who managed to come out on top of the tournament’s tough opponents, triumphing and receiving the grand prize.

Geyer played against a body of 5,287 registered players, making it all the way to a climatic showdown against “KAISERfknSOZE”. The two entered the Main Event’s final hands with a substantial chip-lead over the third place competitor while their own amounts were more evenly matched.

Geyer finished the showdown with
$456,056.62 while KAISERfknSOZE took home $276,245.75. Third place at the Main Event went to “PartyPimp” who received $177,643.20, a considerable sum that still falls a long way short of the showdown pool.

The game finished after nearly thirteen hours of continuous play, proving that Geyer is a player who is able to hold his own in exhausting games of attrition. While Full Tilt had set a guaranteed prize pool of
$2,500,000 for the FTOPS, the massive number of registrants eclipsed the amount to a substantial $2,643,500 by the series’ kick-off. Adam “csimmsux” Geyer’s victory is his third overall win at a Full Tilt Online Poker Series event.

Full Tilt Poker Ramps up Late Night Poker and Poker Million Qualifiers

Full Tilt Poker Ramps up Late Night Poker and Poker Million Qualifiers

It’s only been a short time since Full Tilt Poker officially signed on as the new sponsors of the Poker Million and Late Night Poker but the successful poker site has evidently been hard at work setting up tie-in games for its members.

Full Tilt Poker is hosting a number of great, upcoming events to give their users brand new competition incentives in an already packed season of high-profile brick-and-mortar tournaments. Among the imminent events are the June 15
th Full Tilt Poker Late Night Poker satellite, a $300+$22 cash satellite on June 7th and the May 31st Full Tilt Poker Million satellite. Fans will also have a chance to compete in another Poker Million tournament with the $500+$35 satellite on August 2nd. Tough competition and the shot at plenty of UK exposure should mean plenty of excitement at the Full Tilt Poker rooms for this summer’s duration.

Not only will members of Full Tilt Poker reap the benefits of the site’s new sponsorship deals but viewers should be able to as well. The wider range of expected players (qualified via satellite) at both the Poker Million and Late Night Poker should yield some truly exciting competition and possibly even a few new bright stars making their name in the game throughout the months ahead.

World Poker Tour Scheduled in Venice

World Poker Tour Scheduled in Venice

The constantly expanding
World Poker Tour is set to make its next stop in a beautiful (if rather unlikely) location — Venice, Italy. The newest instalment in the popular series will mark the first time that the nation has hosted a WPT event and will ultimately end with the premier crowning of the World Poker Tour Venice Champion.

World Poker Tour Venice is only a few short weeks away and is set to play out at the famous Casino di Venezia on the east banks of the Grand Canal. The main event will consist of a €4,000+400 buy-in although Venice will also be hosting a wide variety of cash games throughout the rest of the tournament series. The first World Poker Tour Venice Champion will receive a bracelet marking their accomplishment along with a seat in the 2010 World Poker Tour Championship, a prize worth $25,000. World Poker Tour founder and CEO Steve Lipscomb told press that the company is excited to branch out with pioneering events in Italy and the rest of Europe, Venice being only the first part of future plans.

World Poker Tour is assisted by bwin in their efforts to carry out their first ever Italian WPT stop. The latter company’s support should be beneficial to fans as well considering that bwin plans to broadcast World Poker Tour Venice through their website at the same time the action itself is occurring. World Poker Tour Venice is scheduled to take place from May 6th to the 10th.

PokerStars Launches the UK and Irish Poker League

PokerStars Launches the UK and Irish Poker League

PokerStars has provided some good news for
British Isles poker fans with the announcement of the brand new UK and Irish Poker League. The league has been set up to provide incentive and reward for frequent play at the site, giving members the goal of reaching for the top of the heap and becoming part of a select group of winners.

The UK and Irish Poker League will be determined based on a leaderboard now active on the PokerStars client. Members of the popular PokerStars site will have their table time recorded for entry into the competition ladder, tracking accumulated points and exactly how they stack up against other British and Irish players. The more events that members enter, the higher their win and the larger their point earnings, the better they will fare on the leaderboard which rewards $300 to the top one hundred players on a monthly basis.

PokerStars players can choose to compete within all or any one of the three league divisions. Division One requires a $1 buy-in while Division Two allows free play (2,000 play money chips equal one buy-in). Division Three (or the FPP Division) allows the exchange of 25 Frequent Player Points for one buy-in. There are new opportunities for substantial rewards every month, a system that should help encourage stiff competition and busy tables at the PokerStars network.

Titan Poker Player Wins Massive Prize

Titan Poker Player Wins Massive Prize

Members of Titan Poker were duly impressed early last month when the finale of the site’s
$2,500,000 Guaranteed poker tournament saw one skilled player leave the virtual tables with a massive prize. The user in question was able to take home $525,000 of the $2.5M sum after triumphing against a large body of competitors in the well-populated event.

The Titan Poker member,
“Ragen”, competed in the $2,500,000 Guaranteed tournament for over thirteen hours, eventually coming out atop all 1,370 opponents to take home first place and the aforementioned payout. Ragen battled his way to the final showdown where he was able to take out rival player “gwka” and secure his prize.

Ragen entered the last hand with an ace and ten of hearts while gwka held a pair of jacks, going all-in on this pocket. The flop showed a four and pair of Kings but the turn brought an ace of clubs, sealing Ragen’s win and knocking gwka out of the tournament with a (still impressive) $275,000 in cash.

The
$2.5 million tournament hosted buy-ins from as low as $2.75+$0.20 which lead to a great number of entries into the enormous series. Combined with satellite qualifications and straightforward buy-ins, Titan Poker hit on a winning set of terms and guidelines with their $2,500,000 Guaranteed tournament event.

Betfred Unveils Details for the 2009 Ladies Poker Tour

Betfred Unveils Details for the 2009 Ladies Poker Tour


After the past success that Betfred Poker has enjoyed with the series the company has planned for a 2009 edition of the ever popular Ladies Poker Tour. The site has now released preliminary details for the upcoming events, giving female poker professionals a real reason to start getting excited for April.

The first stop of the series will take place in Leeds, England at the Alea Casino on April 18th. Events will then continue to play out across the UK (with one stop in Calahonda, Spain) throughout the summer until the final tournament stage is carried out on November 7th at the Western Club in London. The Alea Casino event will host a £110 buy-in alongside an additional £1,500 added to the prize pool by sponsor, Betfred. Each following leg of the 2009 Ladies Poker Tour will award the winning player with a spot in the grand finale of the series on November 21st. The top contestant in this finale will receive an impressive £20,000 sponsorship package from the Tour’s backing company.

Jon Wilde, spokesman for the 2009 Ladies Poker Tour spoke to press about Betfred’s excitement for the series which has been growing in popularity with every year of its existence. Wilde also mentioned his interest in watching the efforts of Lynne Beaumont, two-time winner of the Tour and player for Team Betfred Poker.

GUKPT Heads-Up Tournament Entrants Confirmed

The upcoming 2009 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour is already creating a lot of buzz and the world of professional poker has been quick to respond to the event by selling out the £2500 GUKPT Heads-Up Tournament. Now the full list of entrants has been confirmed and is sparking arm-chair speculation and mounting excitement leading up to the games.

The
Heads-Up Tournament has proven to be one of the most popular events at the annual GUKPT and this year should prove no different. Poker professionals have flocked to the £2500 tournament, creating a veritable who’s-who of noted UK players. Among the list are immediately recognizable names such as Barny Boatman, Neil Channing, Surinder Sunar, Jeff Duvall and John Kabbaj. Boatman and Channing have both been identified as favourites for the win but the other fourteen competitors are all respected players in their own right and should help to make the tournament an exciting one for all involved.

The first round draw takes place on Thursday, March 19th at 2.45pm and kicks off the initial big event of the 2009 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour. Play commences at 3pm and will be decided as the hands and hours go by into the evening. The £2500 Heads-Up Tournament should be a great start to the venerable series and provide a lot of thrills before the rest of the 2009 GUKPT starts to play out.

Everest Poker European Cup Hosts Exciting Freeroll

Everest Poker has been sparking fan excitement with the announcement of their Everest Poker European Cup events. Even though the series doesn’t start off in earnest until a few more weeks from now, the Everest Poker network is garnering plenty of interest with a preliminary entry series for members of the site.

The EPEC Freeroll is coming up soon and is meant to act as an exciting kick-start for the upcoming, brick and mortar events themselves. The Freeroll winner will be rewarded with a trip to Sardinia on the Mediterranean for three nights of all-expense paid accommodations. Aside from a luxurious vacation itself the top placing Freeroll player will also receive paid entry to the €500 buy-in tournament. Lastly, the lucky competitor will be given €300 spending cash to help them enjoy their time at the games.

Interested players should log on today to take part in the wider range of events encompassed in the Everest Poker European Cup. The EPEC Freeroll takes place this Sunday, March 22nd at 2.30pm GMT and is available for all Everest members that have made the minimum deposit and collected at least 10 Everest Poker Summit Points from playing rake games. The 2009 European Cup itself takes place at the Chia Laguna Resort from May 8th to 10th and will host some two hundred players competing in the main event.

PokerStars Offers up the UK Poker Open

After the success enjoyed by PokerStars with its UK and Irish Poker League leaderboards the site has continued to branch out with the announcement of an upcoming tournament series. The UK Poker Open is set to kick off soon in order to provide a little more excitement for the spring before tournament season starts off in earnest this summer.

The Open is a No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em tournament that gives players from all across the United Kingdom and Ireland the opportunity to win out against stiff competition and take home the guaranteed $50,000 prize pool. The tournament begins on Sunday, March 24th at 7.30pm GMT (3.30pm EST) with the chance to take home the considerable pot.

PokerStars has made the UK Poker Open available for essentially any poker player with the determination to enter and compete in the games regardless of the size of their bankroll. Even without much money to their name, would-be competitors can still prove their worthiness by testing their skills against others in qualifying satellites leading up to the event.

Interested players can buy-in or register to the UK Poker Open through a few different methods. The most up-front manner of gaining Open entrance is via the $111 direct buy-in but poker fans can also get into the tournament by qualifying through the daily cash ($2.20 required) or Frequent Player Point (10 FPP required) satellites.

Titan Poker Adds $1.5 Million to February Rake Race

Online gaming giant, Titan Poker, has announced the addition of $1.5 million in extra funds to their monthly promotions in order to provide some more incentive for players interested in their February Rake Race. The business plans to reward the highest placing players with some seriously impressive bonuses, adding even more to the already enticing rake rewards.

The iPoker network, home to their largest skin, Titan Poker, has been hosting an enormous rake promotion for the duration of the month and now the events are set to heat up even further. On top of the pre-existing $400,000 prize pool, Titan has increased the stakes with $1.5 million in bonus cash. The player who takes first place will receive $80,000 on top of the standard $20,000 prize with similarly fantastic bonuses in line for second and third place winners. Titan has extended rewards in certain brackets all the way down to the 800th best ranking rake contestant.

Poker fans of all levels are sure to flock to Titan to take part in the exciting events and serious players are bound to be drawn to the allure of the large amounts of prize money up for grabs. The decision to offer bonuses for the top 800 players should help to bring out the mid-stakes competitors and make for a lively promotion month for any poker fan.

Sky Poker Hosts Online Auction for Charity

The well known online gaming site, Sky Poker, has just launched a charity auction through their webpage in an effort to raise funds for the St. Michael’s Hospice. Sky users will have the chance to bid against one another in competition for any of the great rewards available through the event.

Sky Vegas

Sky Poker has been supplied with a set of fantastic prizes through various sponsors as part of an effort to raise money for the Harrogate located hospice. Some of the items up for bid include tickets for participation in the Soccer AM studio audience, England football shirts, Sky Poker tables and poker chip sets. Some of the more lavish prizes include a pair of premium tickets to the Nottingham Race Course and a Nine Course golf experience package. Any funds raised from the winning bids will go toward the UK hospice’s operation as part of the special event’s charitable focus.

The St. Michael’s Hospice in Harrogate can greatly benefit from the proceeds raised from the event, making it an ideal cause for Sky Poker to host and promote. Bidding has already started at Sky Poker so interested parties should log on today to see if the prize they’re after is still up for grabs.

Gala Coral British Poker Tour Cancelled

After persistent rumours regarding the fate of the 2009 Gala Coral British Poker Tour, company officials have notarized fans and professionals of the tournament series’ cancellation. The two year history of the GCBPT will now grind to a halt as the series has been taken off the roster for future poker events.

GCBPT Tour Manager,
Mark O’Donnell released a statement which sheds light on the decision to cancel the previously sold-out series. O’Donnell described the company’s plans to refocus their business toward different events and promotions, mainly for the online aspect of Gala’s offerings, rather than toward brick-and-mortar series. Although it is not explicitly stated in the release, many industry observers speculate that Gala Coral may be moving away from the typically expensive, tournament series of the past during difficult economic times. Gala has also made comment toward their business practice shift, describing how they now hope to provide exciting events for players of all skill and bankroll level, rather than aiming toward professionals only.

The popular series’ absence will leave a considerable gap in the usual set of poker offerings available for British gamblers during the year and is hoped to be filled by a different corporate sponsor. Interested parties are likely to arise, especially considering the lack of negative affect seen in high-stakes games, a fact supported by the
GUKPT’s success during these difficult financial times.

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Australia New Zealand Poker Tour Launched by PokerStars in Adelaide

This week sees the launch of the first leg of PokerStars’ latest event offering, the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT). The series kicks off in Adelaide, Australia on February 4th and ushers in a new geographical location for established and hopeful professional players alike to compete for recognition.

The ANZPT has its first stop in Adelaide, Australia from February 4th to the 7th and is set to continue on throughout five further locations from now through to the planned conclusion in July of this summer. Adelaide events are hosting a AUD $3,000 buy-in Main Event alongside several other, smaller buy-in No-Limit Hold ‘Em tournaments and some Omaha games. The series will take place at the Adelaide Sky Casino and is meant to serve as a testing ground for the potential of an interested, Australian and New Zealand market for large-scale gaming series.

PokerStars has seen success with the relatively recent Asian Pacific Poker Tour, a series that saw entries into Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. The finish of the 2009 Aussie Millions should guarantee the presence of many noted poker professionals eager to try their hand at the fresh tournament offerings while still within the region. Familiar names already rumoured for attendance include Australian pros, Grant Levy, Eric Assadourian and Emad Tahtouh.

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UltimateBet Comes Under Fire with New Poker Controversy

UltimateBet has been forced to deal with yet another online poker controversy after a questionable hand was awarded to losing player, Phil Hellmuth. The internet gaming giant is now attempting to rectify the issue without garnering any further negative attention from the press.

Popular poker forum, 2+2, has been dealing with the controversy for some time now and subsequently forcing an examination into the matter. The scandal surrounds a showdown between
Hellmuth and an UltimateBet member with the handle, Doubleballer. At the end of a tense game between the two competitors, Hellmuth mucked his hand, ending the game but still receiving the $5,599 pot.

Hand #1162170993 has become infamous in highlighting a glitch in the UltimateBet software, sparking complaint and concern from regular players at the site who are now afraid to enter into large games where their winnings may go unaccounted for. Management at UltimateBet have blamed a recent software upgrade to the Cereus operating system which could be responsible for the problem (and be a reason for worry at Absolute Poker, Cereus’ other main client).

It’s a bad time indeed for UltimateBet to be rocked by another scandal considering the controversy the site was forced to field in previous exposés by MSNBC and the topical American news program, “60 Minutes”. Corporate spokespeople have assured the public that Doubleballer will be funded his rightful winnings and that the technical glitch will be addressed as soon as possible.

Titan Poker Unveils New Team Members

Popular online gaming network, Titan Poker, has announced the addition of new professionals to their Team Titan Poker list. After a grueling international challenge, players from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Russia and Canada are set to receive attention and a promising career as the new faces of Titan.

Each of the players has persevered through enormous competition in order to reach their current status as representatives of Titan Poker. The Final Country Tournaments wrapped up in late December after months of battle between poker hopefuls from across the globe. Now each of the winners has received a six month sponsorship via Titan and the ability to play at hand-picked land tournaments across the world for the first half of the year. The players are entitled to their entire cash winnings as well, a part of the sponsorship which is sure to aid in forming a viable poker career after their team at Titan has finished.

The
Titan site will soon be hosting space wherein the twelve new team members’ life in the spotlight will be detailed. These bios will track the team’s progress throughout their active games and allow visitors to read up on the player’s strategies and tips. For many of the fresh Team Titan members this will be their first opportunity to play live tournament games after years of online only practice.

PokerStars Break World Record with Enormous Poker Game

PokerStars has made industry history with their recent offering of the largest ever online poker tournament to date. Last year’s colossal game saw the internet gaming service garner the unofficial title but now the site is able to boast their status after having verified the unbelievable figures achieved by there immensely popular games.

The main event saw PokerStars offering up a massive,
$500,000 prize pool and a low, $11 buy-in which attracted an enormous number of players to the record-breaking tournament. From the 35,000 competitors, French player, Stan34powa emerged triumphant after ten hours of tough play with a $30K reward and a place guaranteed to forever cement his name in online poker history. PokerStars’ also broke previous attendance records through their Sunday Million (16,260 players) and Sunday Warm-Up (5,836 players) games alongside the additional titles of largest sit-and-go (10,000 players) and largest simultaneous cash games (at an incredible 240,540 players).

Team PokerStars Pro,
Dan Negreanu told press that he was delighted to be affiliated with such a massive event. No word has been given yet as to whether PokerStars will attempt to beat their own records with an even larger Sunday night tournament series but it’s safe to say that the publicity from the notable $500K event will highlight the company’s place within the industry for some time to come.

Online Bingo Becomes Serious Contender for the Title of Top Internet Game

A recent traffic report from Google has finally called poker’s place as the top online gambling game into question. The statistics demonstrate a failing internet poker revenue stream while virtual bingo continues to increase in popularity despite a troubled economy which is affecting nearly every other business sector.

Online Poker remained the most successful online gaming choice (with massive profits and steady traffic) through until near the end of 2008’s first quarter and has only begun to fall from its once untouchable position in recent time. Internet bingo has always been a serious competitor within the gaming market but the past few months have seen the pastime almost entirely supplanting poker within the gambling world. Commentators suggest that the massive push from bingo advertisers (via popular television show spots, Google advertisement, radio and giant publicity events) may be responsible for raising mainstream awareness of the game and thus tapping into demographic markets who may have been slow to transfer their playtime to the computer.

The popularity of
bingo, especially in the United Kingdom, seems in no danger of slowing down as associated gaming corporations are rewarded with steady business profits but the future of smaller online poker services may be uncertain. With the percentage of remote gamers constantly on the rise in Britain and the closing of brick-and-mortar bingo halls forcing fans toward new methods of play, the increasing success of online bingo should continue for some time.

Paul ‘Pab’ Foltyn Wins the 2008 GUKPT

Twenty-four year old competitor, Paul ‘Pab’ Foltyn has been making waves in the poker world since his recent win at the 2008 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour. The Doncaster resident managed to emerge triumphant at what is perhaps Great Britain’s most illustrious poker event this year, promising to become a major name in the gaming world in the New Year’s coming tables.

Foltyn paid the event’s
£3,000 buy-in and steadily whiled away at his competition until emerging as the victor at the Grand Final. The name recognition and respect garnered by the win is also accompanied by a hefty, £167,050 award which should ensure Foltyn’s ability to compete in upcoming events and strive to keep his newfound reputation afloat. Serious competition from both big-name and fairly obscure opponents saw Foltyn playing a somewhat cautious game peppered with strokes of good fortune in order to make it to a showdown with Jeff Duval where he beat out the final player.

Before taking the title of
2008 GUKPT Grand Final Champion Foltyn’s largest win to date was a sixth-place finish at the World Series of Poker a few years back. Compared to the payout of that six-max event the recognition (and £160k!) from this year’s Grosvenor UK Poker Tour should help to cement his place in poker history while providing a great launching point to a career in the game.

Season Five of High Stakes Poker to Begin Filming in December

The producers of the well known television program, “High Stakes Poker” have announced that filming of the show’s fifth season is set to begin this month. Fans of the television hit have already started churning the rumour mill of what exactly can be expected from the episodes with only a few exact details having surfaced as of now.

There is no concrete list of which
poker professionals will be making an appearance for this season’s action but speculations have been made concerning the inclusion of such high-profile names as Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu and Patrik Antonius. Also likely for a guest spot on the show is the rising internet star, Thomas Dwan who has been making waves with his performance at virtual cash tables. The minimum buy-in for play on the show has also been confirmed as having been increased to $200,000 (double from last year’s stake) but news still has yet to arrive as to whether the special $500,000 buy-in episodes from last season will return.

The new season is also expected to feature the addition of high stakes
Omaha games to the events, a move which would undoubtedly raise the level of excitement for regular viewers in need of some fresh gaming content. “High Stakes Poker: Season Five” will shoot between December 19th and the 21st with an exact air time still unspecified as of the time of writing.

Titan Poker Sends Lucky Players to Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Grand Finale

Titan Poker members received a great surprise today as the company announced the addition of many prize packages aimed at sending lucky fans to the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Grand Finale scheduled for this November. The Main Event will play out at the end of the month, providing closure to what is perhaps the most popular poker series in the United Kingdom.

The Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London will play host to the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) Main Event on November 27th. Players from across Great Britain have been watching the series with a close eye so far as the GUKPT swept through Luton, Bolton, Thanet and Blackpool and now they have a chance to actually get into the action through a series of games offered by Titan. The online poker client is hosting weekly Super Satellite games which provide opportunities to win prize money or trips to the Main Event itself in London. Valued at $8,000, the Titan prize packages cover the expense of travel, accommodations, tournament buy-in as well as some extra spending money.

Tough competition should be signing up already so players eager to make their mark at the end of November can expect serious opponents as they make an attempt for the prize. Titan players should keep an eye out for the satellite tournaments and their chance to win a trip to London to take part in the historic event.

Lawsuit Filed Against Full Tilt Poker by Clonie Gowen

Full Tilt Poker has been making news with allegations of foul play in their decision to retract aspects of an eight-year old contract between themselves and poker pro, Clonie Gowen. A lawsuit was filed against Tiltware, LLC, Full Tilt’s parent company which named many of the popular site’s biggest stars in its description.

The dispute is over a series of conversations which took place between Full Tilt Poker executives and Clonie Gowen via telephone and a Las Vegas meeting in 2004. After supposedly firm agreements to have Gowen join Team Full Tilt Poker as the newest pro sponsor the site rescinded the offer and removed promotional material involving the player from their web pages just last week. Now that her image has been removed from the popular poker client the pro player is apparently upset with the decision. Gowen claims to have “signed” an oral contract with Full Tilt Poker but fully acknowledges that no written material was ever produced.

If the lawsuit is successful, Full Tilt Poker will be one of the many recent poker sites to make news for scandal surrounding their business. Although Pokerstars came out of a similar situation unscathed after Natalie Teltscher attempted to sue the company, Full Tilt Poker will have to be careful to handle their time in the media spotlight appropriately.

PKR Gets Romantic through Partnership with Lovestruck

The innovative minds behind PKR have decided to take their work even further through the recent decision to partner with UK online dating network, Lovestruck. Stemming from their seemingly constant awareness of social poker playing, the two companies now hope to join their services through special, weekly events in order to cater to poker-loving singles.

PKR and Lovestruck will kick off the events with a brick-and-mortar meet up at the Hoxton Pony in Curtain Road, London on Thursday November 6th. This first event is intended to generate (and gauge the success of) interest in the idea of bringing the world of poker and dating together. Through the rest of November users who register through Lovestruck.com will be able to log onto special poker events at the partnered site. The “Lovestruck Evenings” will begin on November 17th at 8pm with a free tournament followed by a series of low buy-in events. Singles can continue to mingle with one another through subsequent offerings which will be available once a day, every week at PKR.

Considering the social aspect PKR has always encouraged in gamers the move to concentrate on dating services actually seems like quite a natural one. The built-in audiences of both Lovestruck and PKR should ensure at least some level of success for the venture with only time being the true judge of whether this amalgamation is something we can expect to continue throughout the industry.

Littlewoods Improvements Come as 888.Com Partners with Sportech

Both the poker and casino versions of Littlewoods are set for major improvements as the partnership between Sportech and 888.Com has been recently focused on this branch of their overall network. Players can expect an overhaul of existing services so that several improvements can be implemented toward better service and gaming.

Sportech has been working on massive redesigns of Littlewoods Poker and Casino after acquiring business with these sites through their partnership with 888.Com. Now fans of the Littlewoods brand are set to receive some pretty great rewards for their patronage. Along with new gaming options, further bonuses and rewards are being planned with the backing of 888 providing additional funding. Travel packages to various locales, more substantial sign-up/referral bonuses and an increase in tournament offerings are all expected to go online at Littlewoods as soon as work is complete. New VIP incentives have also been discussed in press releases which seek to reward faithful players with exclusive gaming and event opportunities.

This is great news for Littlewoods fans and is sure to attract new traffic to both the casino and poker iterations of their service. Sportech is renowned for their expertise in software development and fan following. Their involvement with 888.Com and Littlewoods is bound to create a lot of positive attention for both companies involved in the work.

William Hill Move to iPoker Network

Online gambling giant, William Hill has announced an imminent move to the similarly popular, iPoker Network. Through a surprising partnership with software giant, Playtech, William Hill is now set to venture forward into a period of increased concentration into the field of online poker.

The process of joining up with Playtech has resulted in the birth of William Hill Online, a brand new client for fans of the popular gaming company. William Hill has left Cryptologic behind (to currently suffering traffic ratings) and will now attempt to maneuver some of their users over to the new poker tables. While the company enjoys enormous success as a bookkeeping and sports betting agency, poker represents a fairly new field of the online gambling trade for them to try their hand at. iPoker expect a similar increase in business as their service becomes flooded with brand new users who may be willing to follow William Hill more enthusiastically by way of their improved poker networking.

Players who enjoy William Hill’s other offerings will surely enjoy the transition, especially as the poker site grows through affiliation with the iPoker Network. The company should be able to profit immensely from the joint venture between themselves, Playtech and the iPoker Network, competing with other premier poker sites as a level opponent.

FreeRollPoker Releases Email Alert Service for Users

FreeRollPoker, an online poker site which is steadily gaining in popularity has announced the release of an email alert feature which hopes to attract attention while keeping users up to date. The service promises to keep the site’s members abreast of any freeroll tournament scheduled in the near future so that players won’t miss out on games they might enjoy.

David Carlyle, creator of FreeRollPoker believes that there is an inherent flaw in current methods of online poker room’s news delivery services and hopes that his site has the best possible solution. Carlyle spoke of common issues concerning those online poker players who snatch up freeroll registration and professionals who take seats from casual gamers so that they can make money without the risk of a buy-in. FreeRollPoker’s subscription service is set to change this through the partnerships it’s management has forged with leading companies such as Betfred Poker, William Hill and Paddy Power. Through specific agreements, FreeRollPoker members will be able to receive notification of upcoming freerolls far enough in advance that they have a much better chance of beating the crowd toward reserving a spot.

It is an interesting and innovative idea to be sure but only time will be able to fully determine if it’s relevant enough to truly catch on across the industry. The service has taken pains to ensure that no spam will be sent to subscribers and that a solid community of players will be able to make good use of their efforts. Those interested in the concept should head over to FreeRollPoker.co.uk themselves to check it out.

770.Com Announces the Release of New Versions for Software

One of the most popular online gambling businesses, 770 has announced the release of new versions of games from their poker and casino offerings. 770 are hoping to accelerate interest in their site while simultaneously providing some new entertainment and fresh experiences for existing users of their client.

Immediately obvious changes to 770 Poker and 770 Casino involve a more immediate, “click-and-play” style of interface designed to make getting into any kind of game quicker and more convenient. Access to community forums, tutorials, blogs, support staff or promotional information is now available from any point of the page which means that navigating away from a game for any other business is now easier than ever. Visual designs have also been revamped in order to breathe a bit of new life into the service and give faithful players a nice change of pace. With the release of new software, 770 Poker and Casino are set to receive a duly earned influx of traffic which should aid in giving the company even more prestige within the industry.

There is no word yet on whether the last remaining 770 offshoot, Arcades 770 will receive similar treatment as the poker and casino clients have but it seems likely that we’ll hear an announcement regarding this soon. The new software is online now and ready for users to take a spin on so check it out today and see what you think.

Phil Hellmuth’s Ego Blows Out of Control with Look-a-Like Contest

The well known “Poker Brat”, Phil Hellmuth has just taken his legendary ego to new heights with the announcement of a look-a-like contest. To mark the occasion of his attempt at a twelfth World Series of Poker bracelet the player is launching perhaps his grandest publicity stunt by rounding up twelve models and an impersonator to accompany him during upcoming games.

Hellmuth certainly deserves the level of recognition he receives having established himself as a major force in online and physical casinos across the world. Currently holding eleven gold bracelets and the record for most WSOP cashes (at sixty-nine overall) the Poker Brat is now setting his sights on grabbing up a twelfth championship to further cement himself as a presence in the poker world. The winner of Hellmuth’s outrageous contest will receive £2,000 and the chance to hang out with the man himself as he brags and plays throughout upcoming games.

Those who think they bear a striking resemblance to the Poker Brat should check out the contest and see if they’re interested in entering. For the rest of us, look forward to what is sure to be on many highlight reels when Phil Hellmuth makes his grand debut with twelve models and a personal look-a-like at his side.

Poker Survey Ranks Most Intimidating Professions

A recent survey of the poker world has determined the top professions and celebrities viewed as formidable opponents by industry professionals. The results are somewhat along the lines of what you would expect but the listings are still interesting enough to take a look at as they reveal the skills which poker players most value and fear at the tables.

Actors received 29 percent of the votes due to their ability to ‘become’ another person entirely with stockbrokers (27 percent) taking second place for their career-making skills in odds and mathematical speculation. Politicians (13 percent) and accountants (11 percent) came in third and fourth, the former being feared for their ability to naturally make use of convincing lies and the latter for their knowledge of figures and percentages. Lastly, comedians and public speakers held 6 percent of the overall votes because of their high level of comfort in banter and being scrutinized publicly.

The character traits found in the five occupations make a lot of sense and may give a bit of support to the waves of celebrity poker players often signed to premier gaming sites and teams. The poll also asked participants to name a few specific celebrities they would hate to meet at a poker table. Sir Alan Sugar was number one with other notable celebrities including Professor Stephen Hawking and terrifying television chef, Gordon Ramsay placing in the top rankings of results.

New Application Makes Avoiding Poker Sharks Simpler

Although other screening methods do exist which attempt to keep players aware of poker sharks, a brand new program has just been launched which should make the process simpler than ever before. The ‘Interactive Fish-O-Meter’ is available now for interested users to check out.

The application screens through various criteria entered by the user to allow for a warning of any site that is deemed ‘fishy’. The online climate in many poker rooms can be pretty foreboding for new players just looking to get acquainted with the game and the Fish-O-Meter can go a long way toward helping make the learning curve a more comfortable one. Using the program, players can check out geographical locations, bankrolls and gaming details of a top-three result listing of sites picked by them before deciding on the best site to play from. The widget allows for players to spend less time worrying about potential sharks at every table and instead seek out games that are more appropriate for their skill and comfort level.

It’s worth a look for anybody, novice or experienced, who want to enhance and safeguard their playing experience online. The Interactive Fish-O-Meter is one of the better tools available within the category and definitely warrants taking a look at. The widget is available through the SitAndGoPlanet poker site and is free for use for any visitor.

PKR Receive Prestigious Industry Award

The critically acclaimed UK poker site, PKR has recently been made the recipient of the 2008 eGaming Review Awards ‘Hotshot Operator of the Year’ prize. The award is a great acknowledgement of PKR’s dedication toward innovation and excellence within the business of internet poker and should help to boost traffic at the site.

Independent panels of business experts oversee and hand out the eGaming Review Awards every year as a method of providing attention for those services which truly excel in the industry. The event took place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on September 19th, making it the fourth annual occurrence of the ceremony. PKR not only took home the aforementioned Hotshot Operator of the Year award but the company was also nominated for the
Poker Operator of the Year (along with 888.com, Everest and Party Gaming). Malcolm Graham, CEO of PKR told press that he was excited to have taken home the prize and stated that he hoped the recognition would lead to further attention in the future.

PKR has been well-known as one of the most interesting and unique virtual poker rooms on the internet for some time but their critical reception hasn’t always meant an equal level of traffic. The distinction of receiving an eGaming award may help to boost awareness of the site and draw more players to PKR in the future.

PokerStars Advertisement Banned by UK Committee

Pokerstars
The British Advertising Standards Authority has banned yet another gambling ad which they deem irresponsible. This time the removed ad was the product of Isle of Man based company, PokerStars and featured only the picture of a player and a quote regarding his stance on how to succeed in the game.

PokerStars launched their ‘Play Mind Games’ advertising campaign a short while before having one of the posters removed. The material in question may seem tame but the ASA’s verdict found it inappropriate enough to level the charges set against it. The PokerStars poster features card playing professional, Daniel Negreanu holding a hockey stick with the quote, “Poker is a sport of courage, conviction and confidence” placed underneath his image. The ASA argued that the advertisement likened poker to sexual conquest and self-improvement, traits that the committee decided shouldn’t be seen by impressionable children and young adults. PokerStar’s spot was criticized as offering a path to personal growth through gambling even though the company replied that this was not, in any manner their intention.

The popular poker business maintained that the quote on Negreanu’s poster referred only to the game itself and aspects of it that players view as valuable characteristics. Despite PokerStar’s seemingly appropriate rebuttal the ASA still managed to ban the poster so it will not be available for public use again.

Full Tilt Poker Sponsors Blind Poker Player

Premier online poker room, Full Tilt Poker has announced the sponsorship of a new player as part of their team of reputable professionals. Hal Lubarsky, a blind American was added to the roster last week and now joins the company of many other prestigious players from the Full Tilt family.

Lubarsky has been playing poker for over thirty years but has only recently begun to make news within the industry. At last years 2007 World Series of Poker, ESPN featured an interview with the American that helped to boost his notoriety, ultimately helping to secure the Full Tilt sponsorship deal. Lubarsky wrote on the site’s forums to express his gratitude regarding being signed by the company along with his excitement about his ability to play in upcoming tournaments. He also posted thanks to those Full Tilt players who discussed and followed his career after the life-changing ESPN interview, citing them as one of the biggest catalysts toward his new opportunities as a poker professional.

The player was a regular at brick and mortar casinos in Vegas before loosing his vision. Now, with the aid of readers, Lubarsky is able to play poker again and in a much higher profile manner. His inclusion in the team (which also features such stars as Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman, David Benyamine and more) is set to get Hal Lubarsky into more games than ever.

Two Online Poker Training Sites Ready for Company Merger

StoxPoker and CardRunners, two of the foremost online poker training websites have announced plans for an amalgamation of their services. The merger is set to create what will soon become the internet’s most comprehensive poker training service when it fully finishes the crossover in the near future.

Both of the sites have been running special promotions to ready their users for the imminent change. StoxPoker has decided to stay open for a limited time with drastically reduced registration costs while CardRunners will retain its name during the merger (as well as offering a free, trial membership until the end of September). Combined, the two services are set to become the webs largest archive of articles and videos regarding poker strategy, something that is sure to attract many visitors toward becoming full-time members. Online coaches from each service will also be consolidated to one site too which is expected to give every member more time chatting with seasoned tutors and professionals.

Taylor Cadby, co-founder of CardRunners told press that he was excited for the upcoming change and that both companies were enthusiastic about the combined resources they’re set to offer for members. Those in need of a poker training site owe it to themselves to check out the new CardRunners and browse through the immense library of material.

Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott to Star in Five-Part Poker Television Series

Welsh television broadcaster, ITV Wales has announced the upcoming release of a five-part poker series starring professional player and industry star, Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott. The show, entitled, “How to Become a Poker Millionaire” premiered Thursday, September 4th at 10.35pm and will continue on through completion as an elimination-style reality program.

The premise is a novel one that wisely takes advantage of Devilfish’s legendary status in the poker world to further its reputation. In, “How to Become a Poker Millionaire”, the producers of the show take four negligible players and put them under Ulliott’s tutelage through the half-hour episodes. The series promises to demonstrate the bad players becoming excellent ones (or being cast off) which should provide for a solid mix of gaming tips and pure entertainment. “How to Become a Poker Millionaire” will see even more celebrities than Devilfish as well with it having already been confirmed that interviews with his famous professional ‘friends’ will be featured in each episode.

Devilfish told press that the show was a lot of fun to make and should appeal to a wide demographic as he instructs players in a dramatic, ‘poker boot camp’. With the winning student receiving a seat at Las Vegas’ World Series of Poker there will be a lot on the line and plenty of reasons for viewers to tune in to check out the series.

Dublin, Ireland Named Best European Poker Destination

Popular industry magazine, Bluff Europe has just announced the winners of their annual, ‘European Poker Capitol’ award to the delight of Irish fans. Dublin, capitol city of Ireland won the prestigious title for 2008, beating out other culturally and historically vibrant EU centers as the best continental destination.

The 2007 contest saw Dublin place second behind London, England but further improvements to the city’s poker infrastructure have now established it as the foremost option. Aside from a solid assortment of poker rooms and leagues, poker is growing on a largely grassroots level within the city. As more and more players start enjoying the game, poker is growing into a massively popular pastime in Ireland with much of the action concentrated within the urban center of Dublin. ‘Gentleman’ Liam Flood, an Irish poker fanatic interviewed by Bluff for the feature stated that Dublin was a great place to play due to the friendly, communal culture of Irish players.

London saw a reversal in fortunes this year, coming in second to Dublin in the poll. Vienna came in third, Amsterdam in fourth and Barcelona fifth through the rest of the article. Although many European players are already aware of the Irish capitol’s strengths as a poker destination, Bluff Europe’s award should help get even more traveling players heading to Dublin to check out the scene.

Full Tilt Host High-Stakes Games to Attract Online Pros

Full Tilt Poker has always maintained a reputation for providing excellent, high-stakes options for their players and with a recent decision to increase their upper echelon games the company has apparently remained committed to this facet of their business. Premier poker sites which offer rich gambling opportunities are also known to attract gambling pros which may have provided incentive to Full Tilt as well.

Although legendary poker professionals such as, Phil Ivey, Brian Townsend and Cole South can already be found in the high-stakes Full Tilt games the company has remained committed toward continuing to attract celebrities and rich poker fans alike. The ‘nosebleed’ section of stake offerings are already starting to increase with the addition of tables such as the recent, $500/$1,000 No Limit and $200,000 buy-ins. These stand out as a substantial increase against the formerly highest fare provided in Full Tilt’s $200/$400 No Limit rounds.

The approach is working as Full Tilt has already reported the presence of Tom ‘durr’ Dwan and World Series of Poker bracelet holder, Phil ‘OMGClayAiken’ Galfond at the new tables. Although many of us don’t have the bankroll to take part in the action it’s still exciting to have a chance to watch the big players sit down at their computers.

BoylePoker’s International Poker Open Hosts €100,000+ Prize Pool

The prize pool for Dublin’s International Poker Open has now swelled to an excess of €100,000 through generous sponsorship and overwhelming fan support. BoylePoker devotees and global poker enthusiasts alike are swarming from across the globe to get a chance to play for the big prize, generating more support than the event has ever seen.

Although there are some 1,200 available seats for the enormous tournament, seven hundred have already been sold with the remaining entries projected to run out by the end of the month. Aside from BoylePoker’s sponsorship contribution, part of every registrant’s entry fee (twenty percent of the overall rake) has been added to the pot which has helped to generate much of the buzz surrounding the festivities. The International Poker Open is set to take place at the Regency Airport Hotel in Dublin, Ireland from October 17th to 19th and will be played out through €135 + €15 buy-ins to the No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em games. The prize pool is set to grow to an ultimate €200, 000 amount which is bound to create fierce, quality competition.

The event’s spokesperson, Paul Spillane told press that the event is exceeding expectations and should be a fantastic time for everyone involved. For those interested in grabbing up one of the few seats left, registration and qualification satellites are available at the BoylePoker.com lobby until October 16th (or upon being sold out).

Speedpay and Sportingbet UK Announce Partnership

Sportingbet has announced a partnership with Affiliate Speedpay, currently one of the best companies dealing in electronic payment systems. The one-day, global payout technology developed by Speedpay will mean that gambling affiliate sites will be able to further ramp up business and increase productivity.

For any affiliate site hosting Paradise Poker, Sportingbet, Miapuesta or Superbahis these changes will come into effect on commissions within the next few days. Sportingbet’s decision to join with Affiliate Speedpay should have a big impact on their business, helping to drive more traffic toward their sites while improving the experience of those creating affiliate services for their network. Commission payments will now be sent and received almost instantaneously, allowing for affiliates to increase their profits and re-circulate the money into other projects without spending downtime awaiting finances. This partnership will lead the way toward better public visibility of the Affiliate Speedpay system, a process which could ultimately lead to greater efficiency and functionality within the industry for everyone involved.

Gamblers wondering how this partnership will affect their own time playing online only need to know that an increase in affiliate sites can mean an appropriately positive growth in user rewards and quality when looking into new online casinos, poker and bingo rooms or bookkeeping services. Affiliates of Sportingbet UK should notice a drastic increase in payout speed within the next few days.

VivaMacau Launches New Gambling Tutorials and Strategies

Popular online casino, VivaMacau has recently shifted interests toward providing a veritable gambling university for fans of the site. A recent increase in tutorials and strategy guides has been widely publicized by the company in an effort to draw further attention to the service.

Over one hundred pages of new content were added to the site in the past few days, part of a larger business plan enacted by VivaMacau owners. Guides are available for more than fifty games, including baccarat, roulette, blackjack, craps, poker and more. Mong Ha Media, the Costa Rica-based owners of VivaMacau maintain that they have intended this approach every since the sites inception. True enough toward supporting this statement it's worth noting that VivaMacau has always offered a healthy number of free games and help for the uninitiated. Now, the tutorials will accompany the ability to play no-cost games without even having to download or register.

Sam Casteel, Public Relations Director for Mong Ha Media spoke to press regarding the decision to incorporate such a large number of guides. He stated that one of the primary goals of VivaMacau will be to foster novice and intermediate gamblers into great ones through plenty of instruction and practice. Anyone interested in this approach should check out the site and see what they think.

PartyPoker Kicks-Off Second Annual Women’s World Open

The second annual PartyPoker Women’s World Open is set to start this Friday, October 3rd in London and run until the following Monday (October 6th). Thirty-six poker competitors from across the world have traveled to England for the chance to take first place and a prestigious bracelet by taking down each game scheduled for this weekend.

PartyPoker has assembled a decent enough $108,000 prize pool which the players will be competing for a share of. Buy-ins are set at $3,000 and the first place winner of the entire tournament series will be rewarded with an impressive $50,000 sum. Among the contestants gearing up for play this weekend is last year’s champion, Bev Pace. She is the wife of another professional poker player (and comedian), Norman Pace and hopes to repeat her success yet again by sweeping the event. Pace managed to take down Jen Mason at the final game to retrieve the $50K prize while simultaneously establishing herself as a formidable presence in the poker world.

Although it may still only be a small event in light of the larger mixed-sex tournaments which take place during the rest of the year, PartyPoker should be commended for their work toward bringing greater visibility to those female poker professionals who are still greatly ignored in comparison to their male counterparts. The company announced that last year’s Women’s World Open received fantastic international television ratings and that the 2008 installment should prove no different.

BetFair Poker Lags behind Competition despite High-Profile Sponsorship

One of the most highly regarded online poker agents, BetFair Poker has been struggling to keep traffic and tables stocked even in light of their overall success within the industry. Despite solid sponsorships for the company’s poker offerings, management have expressed concern regarding the site’s ability to push ahead of competition.

BetFair were able to secure yet another year’s sponsorship of the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) but have been disappointed by a lack of traffic growth thus far. The company has signed impressive acquisitions and made their poker client a well-known name within the UK but are still falling behind other industry giants like PokerStars. BetFair Poker was able to reach a high level of notoriety from the site’s inception just by virtue of its reputable betting service but has had a hard time drawing and keeping traffic at their poker service. Similarly, Ladbrokes, a well-known bookkeeping brand has had to fight a loss of revenue from their poker site even though they are still ranking just head of BetFair.

Although some may think that BetFair’s lack of growth could be attributed to an inability to enter the American market, the top five online poker clients in the world are currently composed of three other businesses which struggle with this same issue (PartyPoker, the iPoker Network and OnGame). The company seems to be hedging their bets on a signing of current player commodity, Michael Phelps but the Olympic athlete may be more likely to join DoylesRoom than the dwindling BetFair Poker.

2008 Poker Kings Tournament Gives to Players and Charity

Buildings second charity poker tournament is set to debut in mid-October as another push toward providing annual entertainment for gamblers along with aid for children in need. Last year’s edition of Poker Kings was an overwhelming success and now organizers are hoping to repeat their charitable efforts.

The event will be held at Grosvenor Victoria Casino for one day and requires a £250 ticket (which includes an all-access pass to the proceedings along with complimentary food and drink). The 2008 Poker Kings is set to host a series of games with one third of the overall proceedings going to the ‘Wishes 4 Kids’ foundation. Wishes 4 Kids provides hope for Leicestershire children who have experienced serious medical trauma or been diagnosed with a terminal illness or HIV. Sponsorship is being provided by Doyle PLC with the company chairman, Stef Stefanou offering up his own watch for anyone who can knock him out of the tournament.

Last year saw Willie ‘the dice man’ Tann playing against Tony McWalter (a former Labor Party MP) at the end of the proceedings and raised considerable funds for the same charity. Interested poker players in the area should check it out. The tournament is being held on Thursday, October 16th and is available for any of the interested public with the purchase of a ticket.

Dave Cain Attempts World Record for Poker Endurance

UK poker player, Dave Cain has currently been awake and taking out opponents at poker tables for a little over three days with no sign of stopping in sight. All eyes are on him as he continues to work toward raising money and establishing the world record for continuous poker playing in the process.

Cain is attempting to play out a solid one hundred hours of cards from a table at the Lincoln University and is already well on his way toward completion. Different opponents are flocking toward the venue to try their luck at knocking him out or just contributing to the record affair. The money raised from the effort is set to go toward charitable organizations, a decision which definitely helps to make the entire process a lot more interesting and worthwhile for everyone involved. Cain is playing Head-Up and needs anyone in the area to come on by to keep the game moving along. The current world record for poker endurance is held at seventy-two hours of non-stop gaming.

Observers can log onto pokerplayingmarathon.com to read about Dave Cain and his efforts or to help out by providing a remote, charitable donation. The site is also hosting a live video feed of Cain at the cards for those interested in seeing if can pull off the big moment at hour one hundred.

2008 World Championships of Online Poker Kicks Off

The 2008 World Championships of Online Poker have finally started off with Friday, September 5th’s Events #1 and #2. With the beginning of the 2008 WCOOP, poker fans now have a high-profile event to grab their attention throughout the month of September (with all games wrapping up on the 23rd of this month).

Event #1 was a $215, 6-Handed No-Limit with Event #2 being a round of $215, 5-Card Draw. All told, some 8,241 competitors took seats at the two events which made them run for almost twenty-four hours of play. Ultimately a British player with the screen name, ‘shane147’ emerged victorious in Event #1, winning $202,000 and the first WCOOP bracelet of the year. A heads-up showdown in Event #2 saw, ‘ImBillMcNeal’ take down, ‘Wedlowjones’ and go home with $34,000 and the WCOOP gold bracelet. The PokerStars’ run series saw only one of Team PokerStars’ members enter into the events as Hevad ‘RainKhan’ Khan played (and was knocked out in 7th place) during Event #2.

There are thirty-three scheduled events in all but already players and poker fans have been thrilled by the large prizes and skilled games of the 2008 WCOOP. PokerStars have established a $30 million guarantee for the series which is already estimated to exceed expectations through the next few games. The final round will take place on September 23rd with the second day of the concluding, $5,200 Main Event.

Shannon Elizabeth Becomes Newest Member at Doyle’s Room Poker

Shannon Elizabeth
Model, actress and devoted poker player Shannon Elizabeth has been added to the roster of professional and celebrity members at DoylesRoom.Net. Elizabeth is determined to elevate her status as a formidable competitor through Doyle’s Room promotion and participation at events.

Team Brunson (named after Doyle’s Room inspiration, Doyle Brunson) will certainly attract a lot of attention with the former “American Pie” and “Dancing with the Stars” actress as part of their roster. Elizabeth is set to play in this summer’s 2008 World Series of Poker where she will not only be seated at smaller tables but also be appearing at the main event itself. The new recruit often refers to poker as her ‘second career’ and is no stranger to the gaming world as she frequents Las Vegas rooms. Elizabeth also made waves (and showed that she was no slouch at the tables) playing at the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Shannon Elizabeth starred in the recent poker comedy “The Grand” where she portrays the character of Toni and is also a main character in “Deal” which saw release last month. Doyle’s Room is sure to receive a lot of publicity as Elizabeth starts her career with Team Brunson and expect to see loads of coverage during events she attends in the future.

APT Macau Hosts Celebrity Poker Tournament for Local Charity

The Asian Poker Tour 2008 is just about to enter the Macau leg of gaming tomorrow (August 27th) and officially start playing out the largest-ever poker guarantee in Asia with $1.5 million to be won. Instead of just focusing on poker professionals however, Chris Parker, CEO of the APT has organized a set of charity games to take advantage of the surrounding hype and put it toward a good cause.

Many celebrities from across the globe are set to play at the tournament with proceeds going toward Caritas de Macau, one of the city’s foremost social service organizations. Among those at the tables will be models including Tila Tequila, Natalie Ng, Janice Man and Tracy Ip as well as film actor, Michael Wong, commentator, Angie Mak, singer, Renee Dai as well as globally renowned boxing star, Manny Pacquiao. The stars will be hitting poker tables at 7pm tomorrow night. As with the rest of the Macau festivities, charity play will be hosted at the Galaxy StarWorld Casino Resort and Hotel in the city.

Aside from the charity game there will also be notable poker professionals in attendance at the ATP Macau. Doyle Brunson will be holding a book signing on the 27th and legendary figures such as Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson and APT Manila’s winner, David Saab will all be at the tables for the competition.

Sky Poker Announce the Launch of Live Poker Tour

Sky, one of the best known online gambling vendors has recently announced their plans to branch out into real-world ventures through their Live Poker Tour. The company is set to offer a competitive venue for devotees of their site while formally entering into the company of online poker rooms with physical tours.

Sky’s Live Poker Tour will take place over six legs across the UK with the first and final events taking place at Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn. It all kicks off on September 13th when players will vie for a chance to make their mark at the tables before the final proceedings return to the same city for a televised final event in next June, 2009. Entry will be determined through internet play at Sky Poker with satellite tournaments already underway. Hopefuls can get into games for as little as £2.65 and work their way up through the ranks to try for a shot at the physical games. Sky has revealed a £25, 000 guaranteed prize pool for the tour and this should combine nicely with television coverage in order to get a lot of quality poker players interested in the events.

Emma Crowe, Sky’s Head of Marketing stated that the company has been planning this type of tournament for some time after testing the waters with the last year’s few one off, live games. Those interested in competing at the Sky Live Poker Tour should head online and jump into some of the satellite games already starting up.

UltimateBet and Ante Up for Africa Present Celebrity Weekend for Sudan

Industry giant, UltimateBet has recently announced a partnership with the “Ante Up for Africa” foundation to launch a high-visibility charity event. The upcoming gaming series is filled with some of the most recognizable faces in the world of professional poker and film which is sure to create a lot of attention as its weekend draws near.

This enormous event has been created in order to raise funds and promote awareness of the ongoing genocide of the Sudanese population in Darfur. Ante Up for Africa will feature substantial prizes and celebrity endorsement in order to create the kind of stir it aims for. Among the featured guests to be in attendance are, Annie Duke, Phil Hellmuth, Tiffany Michelle and actor, Don Cheadle. Celebrities will be playing online games and users will be able to go up against them for the chance to run into their favourite stars or vie for great rewards (such as tournament entries, trips or private poker lessons).

Ante Up for Africa has been in the works since July and now this weekend (August 22nd to 24th) players and business backers will finally see the potential good possible through such a charitable event. The announcement of the fundraiser detailed different manners by which UltimateBet loyalty points (UltimatePoints) can be donated to the relief efforts so those users interested should log on now and check out the program.

UK Players Clean Up at the Devilfish Poker ‘Devilympics

Devilfish Poker’s recent ‘Devilympics’ were a promotional event intended to tie into Olympic fever as the 2008 Beijing games ran alongside and have only just concluded. The tournament results saw a large number of British poker players sweeping the standings, most notably, the Gold winning ‘olipizer’ who took home €5,000 and the championship in twelve of the seventy-five events.

UK poker fans truly have something to be proud of as the final results demonstrated an overwhelming victory. British players won 59 medals (21 Gold, 16 Silver and 22 Bronze) with Ireland coming in second with a significantly smaller 41 medals (18 Gold, 14 Silver and 9 Bronze). Canadian Devilympics competitors took third place overall with a total of 30 medals (12 Gold, 7 Silver and 11 Bronze). Devilfish creator, Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott took part in the events by playing in the opening and closing events where he had a €250 bounty placed on him. The UK poker star told press that he was delighted with his home nation’s showing in the tournament and was blown away by the impressive results.

Even though the Devilympics are finished now (along with the summer games), the final tally should give UK players a lot to talk about and encouragement for further growth in their regional poker field. British poker fans should be pleased with their showing at one of the premier summer tournaments and excited for the next big Devilympics when the actual games hit the UK in 2012.

Yuval Bronshtein Makes Poker History at 2008 FTOPS

This year’s Full Tilt Online Poker Series saw twenty-four year old poker player, Yuval Bronshtein establish a new record for the game with an unheard of showing over two online games. The competitor made history through two, consecutive tournament wins which both took place in under twelve hours of play.

Bronshtein made his mark through events #14 and #15 of the Series, a $500 Buy-in HORSE and $200 Buy-in No-Limit Hold ‘Em Turbo tournament respectively. The young player totaled an impressive $172,387 from the two games, beating out over three thousand others in the HORSE tournament and more than six hundred competitors in the No-Limit Hold ‘Em Turbo event. Bronshtein, playing under the account name, “yuvee04”, was ecstatic for his winning money but reported that he is more pleased with the notable status of a historic title than anything else. He has made waves online in the past and hopes to capture some bracelets while holding onto his record in the future.

The player has also started to breach into the world of live poker where he hopes to continue his success, having already performed admirably in last years World Series of Poker 2007. This September, Bronshtein will be traveling to Amsterdam and Austria to compete in the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe.

London Poker in the Park Festival Determined a Huge Success

Last weekend’s, Poker in the Park festival was experimental in many ways and served as something of a testing ground for future, UK-based events of this kind. Luckily for all involved (and British poker enthusiasts in general) this first attempt at a large-scale London gaming showcase went off without a hitch.

The Poker in the Park festival set out to prove that the UK was as fertile a ground as the United States for events based around the game. With the sponsorship of PKR and a fantastic showing of some of the industry’s best players and providers the weekend demonstrated the possibility of continued success in the future. Hordes of British poker players came out to take part in the tournaments and celebrity tutorials, ultimately convincing the city of London and those behind the festival that the entire affair was an overwhelming hit and worth investing in for the future.

Editor-in-Chief of Bluff Europe, Michael Caselli, reported that he and the rest of his company were thrilled with the showing and excited for future possibilities centered on the game. Fox Poker Club added further good news for English poker players with their announcement of a fully-licensed club set to open in London, the first of its kind. While no official word has been given regarding a 2008 Poker in the Park, all evidence seems to point toward it being a distinct possibility.

UltimateBet Adds Celebrity Tiffany Michele to Team Roster

Tiffany Michelle
UltimateBet have recently announced the addition of celebrity poker player, Tiffany Michelle to their line-up of professionals. Although this kind of acquisition is usually more of a publicity stunt than anything else, Michelle’s relatively obscure status and considerable skill at the tables may actually hint at something more than just name recognition behind the move.

Tiffany Michelle, twenty-four, is a former actress and singer-songwriter who has been making a big name for herself in the world of poker. With this year’s 2008 World Series of Poker Michelle emerged as the only female competitor left at the Main Event, ultimately finishing in 17th place overall and setting the record for best performance within her category. She was fully decked out in UltimateBet apparel but wasn’t yet signed to the premier poker brand yet. Michelle initially started appearing at big tables as a way of supplementing her acting and music income but it took her little time to show up on sponsors’ and professional player’s radars (including Annie Duke, legendary player and UB Cardroom Consultant who sung her praises during press releases).

After taking home $334,534 from the WSOP Main Event Michelle was quickly snatched up by UltimateBet to become the newest member of their franchise. This Tuesday made the move official and will likely see the actress turning her poker-hobby into a much more substantial part of her career. UltimateBet users may stumble across Michelle as she plays under the name ‘Tiffany M’ online.

PokerSharks Radar Reveals 3 Million Online Poker Players Records

A massive amount of statistical data has been compiled and readied for public use by PokerSharks Radar, a freeware developer that has taken a great interest in giving online poker players every tool available. As the system now has roughly three million users indexed it is quickly becoming a truly viable option for poker fans to look into.

The PokerSharks Radar software is free for download and offers online poker fans the ability to research the background of any player they come up against at the tables. Aside from the staggering volume of records detailing every gambler’s hand and play history the software is also capable of deducing an ‘historical strategy’ (only for Texas Hold ‘Em at this point) based on this data. The PokerSharks Radar system essentially functions as a massive notebook that will no doubt serve to increase the level of strategy and pure skill required online once it becomes commonplace among gamers.

It’s an excellent piece of freeware for the serious player or any novice who doesn’t want to come up against sharks as they start to learn the ropes. PokerSharks Radar is sure to cause its fair share of controversy as it finds the mainstream but for now it can be seen as an impressive database for savvy poker fans to take advantage of.

PKR Prepares 2009 WSOP Main Event Reward Packages

Play Online Poker
While players and poker fans alike await this fall’s 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event, popular online tables at PKR are planning to offer incentives that will bring fans to the Las Vegas action next year. Although it may seem a long way away, PKR want to get a head start on the excitement surrounding qualifying satellites and the 2008 November Nine finalists.

The
Road to Vegas promotion kicks off on September 15th and promises to provide thirty-three weeks of freerolls. Players who come out on top of the weekly freerolls win 2009 WSOP prizes from entry to a $1,500 Buy-In to some packages which can send fortunate players to the $10,000 Main Event. PKR will require players to meet certain criteria (which will change weekly) in order to enter the freerolls and try for a WSOP reward. This format is intended to allow serious users the ability to target specific packages which appeal most to them, which should result in an intense and satisfying level of competition during the entire thirty-three week run.

Simon Prodger,
PKR’s Marketing Director told press that the Road to Vegas series was intended to give all levels of competitors a chance to get into Las Vegas games at the industry’s largest competition and that the company’s commitment resulted in this being their biggest promotion yet. PKR is also running reward offers for other tournament series, such as the currently underway, Asian Poker Tour Macau and satellite stops at the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour.

The Real Deal!’ Poker Show Set to Launch at the Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino

Entertainment powerhouse Merv Adelson and the Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino have announced a partnership which will see the first live, interactive poker stage show premier at the famous venue this fall. “The Real Deal!” is set to provide a great time for visitors looking for big prizes and lots of poker-based fun.

The
Venetian Resort has released details on several aspects of the upcoming show and perhaps most exciting is the inclusion of notable poker professionals (including Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Harman, Phil Laak and Daniel Negreanu) as part of the cast roster. “The Real Deal!” is set to take worthy advantage of their professional supporters through audience participation and competition. Probably the most interesting aspect is that the show will attempt to cross demographics and offer something fun for both seasoned poker players and complete novices alike. Although the action is poker based those without any knowledge of the game are given ample prize-winning opportunities through random events and simple-choice bets throughout the play.

Currently the
Venetian Resort and Adelson’s company, Lorimar Telepictures are undertaking the full casting process and are in talks with a number of poker-savvy comedians who they believe will bring the show the type of energy and humour it needs to successfully match their vision. “The Real Deal!” is set to premier this fall and will run six nights a week at the Venetian with tickets available for pre-release soon.

Johnny Chan’s Online Poker Service "Chan Poker" Shuts Down

ChanPoker, the passion project of poker professional, Johnny Chan has recently cut its losses and shut down service. Although management is still trying to locate a new platform for ChanPoker, last week saw an official blog posting announce the imminent closure of the website.

Last Thursday, August 21st saw the well-known poker platform finally close down after a final August 19th, $50 daily freeroll.
Johnny Chan, ten-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner launched the provider in the summer of 2006 with a popular WSOP booth and endorsement through the Ongame Network but hit trouble only months after opening from the passing of the American UIGEA. The legislature immediately stopped US players from gaining access to the site and cut down traffic significantly, a hit that ChanPoker was never able to fully recover from. With a business market that was drastically changing in the light of the UIGEA, Chan and his company tried their best to bypass the obstacle and succeed in the competitive industry but now, roughly two years after starting, financial difficulties and unstable traffic have forced the decision of closure.

The site promised to honour all outstanding withdrawals and will also attempt to transfer player points in the event of starting up a new
ChanPoker service. Although the closure of ChanPoker comes as a substantial setback for the namesake player, the company’s commitment toward a return to business should be heartening for fans of the site.

Former ‘EastEnder’ Joins with Littlewoods Poker in Endorsement Deal

Michael Greco has revealed an exclusive deal with UK online giant, Littlewoods Poker which will see the former soap star trading in acting for card playing. The site is hoping to get fans on board with gameplay designed toward interaction and bonuses associated with the celebrity’s presence at their virtual tables.

Greco may be better known by some as Beppe di Marco, a central cast member of the BBC1 serial, “EastEnders” but the actor is now hoping to make a transition into the world of poker through his Littlewoods endorsement. Six years after leaving the show Greco is attempting to escape from some of the celebrity limelight by lessening his time acting and more fully pursuing his passion for cards. He should have ample opportunity to prove himself as players flock to test out his skills and Littlewoods puts their new member into live tournaments such as the European Poker Tour during this season.

Players will be able to play against
Greco in a variety of events including the monthly Littlewoods bounty tournaments where the actor holds a £250 prize which can be gained by knocking him out of the game. No matter the opinion users may have on celebrity poker players Littlewoods at least promises a bit of variety and excitement with their latest acquisition.

Absolute Poker Gives Players the World Series of Absolute Poker

Not to be outdone by the excitement and thrills associated with the upcoming Las Vegas based 2008 World Series of Poker industry leaders Absolute Poker has announced that their site will be hosting a digital rendition of the enormous tournament.

The
World Series of Absolute Poker has just launched and will seek to give users the chance to play along with their favourite professionals as the site matches tournament events with their own take on the games. Nightly tournaments will award great prizes and present online iterations of the same styles being played in Vegas by the pros. Absolute has gone to considerable measures in order to make the most of their concept and fans of the WSOPs will definitely enjoy the simulation offered through the website.

The grand prize for the
2008 WSAPs will be entry into the Aruba Poker Classic this year with Absolute providing access to the fall tournament for some of the biggest winners. Aside from this there are also auxiliary cash awards and chances to receive four-week passes to Absolute’s own $150,000 Guaranteed Weekly tournament. It’s a great idea that is sure to drum up a lot of interest for poker fans who want to mirror the events of the biggest season in poker.

UltimateBet Signs New Pros to Ward off Cheating Scandal

Recent allegations of shady business practices have meant a widespread decline in traffic for UltimateBet.Com and related Tokwiro internet casinos. In a widely publicized move the company has announced the signing of two new additions to their professional team which could be interpreted as an effort to create some level of distraction or legitimization.

Last month saw the
Tokwiro network subject to torrents of bad press due to a problem wherein certain players were able to view their opponent’s cards. The company blamed previous employment but the service’s reputation was badly damaged especially in light of similar allegations aimed at AbsolutePoker.Com from earlier in the year, a client also maintained by the corporation. These software errors were defended and subsequently said to have been fixed although in many ways the damage to PR is continuing to have irreversible effects on public trust.

Now
UltimateBet.Com has signed Cliff Josephy and Eric Lynch to their casino offering in an attempt to finally warrant positive media coverage. The new additions have had to repeatedly defend their contracts in light of the prevailing, malignant attitude toward their new benefactors. Only time will tell how this acquisition ultimately works on popular perception of the corporation but it is one step that has at least been able to provide the industry with news diverted from scandal gossip.

Absolute Poker Awards World’s Largest Bad Beat Payout

Many of the best established online poker sites have begun to offer ‘bad beat’ jackpots which seek to take a bit of the sting out of a big loss with a kick-back of reward money. Absolute Poker has long maintained their version of the award with last week seeing a record-breaking amount paid out to a player on the site.

The user, who goes by the screen name of
RiverMan1969, had his fortunes quickly reversed as his crushing defeat soon earned him a payout far larger than what the tables would have given. The gambler lost a bet with four tens by another player who had an unbelievable quad Queens. Apparently the beat was a good enough story to earn RiverMan1969 roughly $325,200, a payout which dwarfs almost every other single player bad beat jackpot yet.

Although the
$325,200 is noteworthy enough in its own right this amount was only a fraction of the $996,115 total prize shared among the other contestants playing at Absolute’s Bad Beat Jackpot rooms. With a payback worth almost one million dollars USD Absolute Poker has definitely set a mark so far unprecedented within the industry. Now that the majority of the premier internet poker businesses offer competitive bad beat jackpots betters should check out this play style for themselves and try to turn around what being a ‘loser’ really means.   

UltimateBet Offers Expanded Poker School

Industry leader, UltimateBet has announced the expansion and further promotion of their online poker school, a feature of the site which has long held a draw for many players looking for expert advice. With a well developed tutorial section and the guidance of some of the best card sharks in the field it is certainly a good move for the company to promote this section.

The
poker school gives competitors an extra edge at many different levels of play by providing tips for novice to more experienced fans of the game. Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke (two of the leading poker professionals in the industry) belong to the UltimateBet team and are now being touted as extremely qualified tutors. By emphasizing free games and low-stakes play the site should be able to continue implementing educational gaming as a major aspect which dwarfs the competitions similar efforts.

Although many online poker sites have adopted in-depth tutorials and guides to the game,
UltimateBet’s offering is quickly becoming one of the best to be found anywhere. With more funding being put toward its further development and advertising as a key aspect of the site’s experience expect the service’s fan base to expand even further in the future.

Titan Poker to Be Represented in Manila

As the Asian Poker Tour kicked off on Monday May 26th, Titan Poker, one of the leading companies within the business, sent eight of their best players to represent the brand in the tournaments. The Tour will be decided from then until June 2nd and Titan hopes to make a big impression on the community at large by demonstrating just how talented their stable is.

Titan chose their delegates through a series of satellite games which meted out the hopefuls from the winners. The players were awarded a prize package valued at about $6,000 which includes their $2500 APT buy-in, room and board at Manila’s Dusit Hotel along with flight expenses and spending money. The contestants will be up against over four hundred other talented card sharks that are all playing hard to win the 2008 APT million dollar prize pool. For many of the Titan champions this will be one of the first real opportunities to show their skills (and personalities) off to an eager audience so expect many new, interesting names in poker to come up over the next week.

The
Asian Poker Tour will continue on past Manila into cities within Singapore, South Korea and Macau where fans of the game are being won over in droves. Only time will tell how the Titan Poker winners fare but watching their progress through the events will surely only constitute on part of the excitement to come throughout the APT this year.

CircusCasino Create Rendering of the ‘Perfect Poker Face

The poker face is a well-known concept and one that has been attributed to player success for as long as the game has been played. Now, CircusCasino have released a rendering of what could possibly demonstrate the perfect face to bring to the game.

Perfect Poker Face
By using ten samples (drawn from a number of the highest ranking poker professionals to date), CircusCasino have been able to conceive of a potentially fortune-creating face and expression. The ‘perfect poker face’ hosts some distinctive elements such as a jutting chin, outward-facing ears, widely set eyes and a ‘Roman’ nose while the expression remains flat and, of course, impossible to read. Peter Nolan, MD, part of CircusCasino’s staff noted that many of these same traits are found in successful actors and businesspeople that combine seriousness and theatricality in much the same manner as poker professionals.

Author and expert on the relation between faces and psychology,
Naomi Tickle validated the idea of a calculated poker face and backed up the notion that there are common physical traits in the faces of the ten examined professionals used for the study. Tickle’s “You Can Read a Face like a Book” substantiated many of the same points and only furthers the evidence that some individuals may be born for the game. Even if you don’t have the scientifically proven, ‘Perfect Poker Face’ however don’t fret; when you play online no-one can see it anyway.

Bodog Send Lucky Pai-Gow Poker Players to Vegas

As a part of Bodog Casino’s promotion of the Pai-Gow poker style those logging on to play the relatively popular game were automatically entered into a draw toward a trip for two to any hotel in the gambling capital of America in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Georgia resident, Vince O. ultimately won the prize and brought a lucky friend, Matt along to the
Wynn Las Vegas for two nights of high-living. Bodog set the two up in style which allowed for swanky accommodations as they enjoyed the town. Vince, a Bodog Casino, Poker and sportsbook player was quick to seek out a baseball game which he had previously placed odds on as his first bet of the trip. Vince spoke to Bodog reporters with warm appreciation for the excellent prize package he randomly won. The Pai-Gow player is a devoted fan of the brand’s gaming network and told the press that he had also previously won a trip to a Palms area Bodog poker party where he met professionals, Daniel Negreanu and Mike Ditka.

As many
online casinos have begun to introduce wide varieties of ‘alternative’ poker styles Bodog’s decision to offer a prize package for Pai-Gow players was designed in order to attract greater attention to the game. With the inclusion of great playing incentives this is already proving to be a great movie for users and the company itself.

Bodog Seeks Advice from Players in Improving Software

Bodog Poker is one of the network’s most popular services and they aim to keep it that way with new updates set to elevate the client above stiff competition. Bodog has always touted a devotion to their fan-base and they’re now set to prove this by using player feedback in the new design.

Users of Bodog Poker are currently being given the option to download the new beta version client and try out possible, upcoming features before giving the company their opinions. The service is attempting to address fan plea’s for a greater number of tabbed table-play (the site currently only allows three ongoing games), window re-sizing, a full-screen mode, embedded chat options along with more “quick tool” options. Those who try out the beta will be able to provide their comments and ultimately aid in shaping the future Bodog software.

Videogame and other software application designers have long relied on consumer feedback through beta testing and it’s definitely a welcome addition to the internet gambling industry as well. Giving the fans exactly what they want should ensure Bodog’s continued support and prevalence within the business and if the move proves successful we can hope to see this practice catch on as a commonplace feature. Those interested in participation should head to the website now to take part in beta play.

Poker in the Park Festival Weekend Nears for London Gaming Fans

Poker in the Park
The game of poker has drastically increased in popularity for UK audiences in recent years and the industry has been clamoring to properly cater to the demographic both online and off. With the second World Series of Poker Europe Main Event scheduled for England this September, London has embraced card-playing fever with the Poker in the Park festival.

The events will take place over two days (Friday August 15th and Saturday the 16th) at Leicester Square in London’s
bustling casino and theater district. Poker in the Park promises to provide a fantastic weekend venture for fans of the game and demonstrates some very welcome support for UK enthusiasts who are traditionally left out from the best events. The festival will feature a chance to meet the professionals (from 4-9pm Friday and 10.30am-6.30pm Saturday), grab some autographs, attend talks, play in hourly tournaments and meet fellow poker fans.

Poker in the Park is boasting some very impressive support from land-based and online casinos with tournaments such as the Sky Poker Cup, the London Pub Poker Trophy, the Bluff Europe Championship and the England Poker League Cup among others. Poker fans should head over to the Empire Casino in Leicester during these days to take part in the festivities and show national support to help continue poker styled events at home.

World Championships of Online Poker Scheduling Announced

World Championship Online Poker
As the WSOP begins to disappear from fan’s memories a new event is set to take place just in time through PokerStar’s 2008 World Championships of Online Poker. Beginning with a set of July 1st satellites on the popular website the tournaments have also been fully revealed in order to entice competitors with enormous jackpots and lots of excitement.

The WCOOP schedule was released through
PokerStars recently and unveiled some extremely high-stakes action for serious players to get into. Among the listed events are a $25,000 Heads Up game, $10,300 HORSE and No-Limit Hold ‘Em tournaments and a $5,200 Main Event. The attached guarantees are seriously impressive with PokerStars promoting money pools up to $30 million for the entire WCOOP events. Although some smaller fare has been made available to appeal to all demographics, the large buy-ins and tournament guarantees should mean that a lot of attention gets focused on the events.

Players interested in the substantial listings should be polishing their skills now as satellite events are already underway. PokerStars has promised two events a day for the entire duration of their games, ensuring that their online version of the WSOP should get the publicity it deserves The 2008 WCOOP kicks into full swing on
September 5th with a one million dollar guaranteed tournament and will continue through to the 21st.

Ladbrokes Joins With Microgaming Poker Network to Stimulate Business

The Microgaming Poker Network is one of online gambling’s leading networks and Ladbrokes decision to join with their service is set to hold great rewards for devotees of the site. Through increased traffic and greater benefits, Ladbrokes plans to expand their tournament and cash game options for users of the poker client.

John O’Reilly, Ladbrokes Managing Director of Remote Betting and Gaming said the move to join Microgaming was a natural one for the company in that they are hoping to offer wider fare for members and stimulate growth. Through the partnership, Ladbrokes will be able to offer higher-stakes games as well as increase their potential demographic base and notoriety while maintaining their existing features. The company may have been motivated by a 6.4 percent decline in profits during the first half of 2008 but ultimately the move is a wise one which should increase the site’s popularity while allowing them the necessary movement to keep positive site elements intact. Customer service and brand-based franchising have been stated as being at the top of Ladbrokes agenda as they continue aiming for organic business growth.

Ladbrokes is already one of the premier online poker sites within the industry and their decision to join Microgaming may be just the push needed to put them on top in the near future. Players who use the site should be happy with the move and looking forward to additional content in the near future.

Natalie Teltscher Backs Out of Pokerstars Lawsuit

The 2007 World Championship of Online Poker saw industry giant, Pokerstars enter into a high-stakes lawsuit with alleged winner, Natalie Teltscher over the $1.2 million reward. Natalie, sister of poker professional, Mark Teltscher recently decided to drop the case in light of mounting evidence which would make her win impossible to legally ratify.

Teltscher’s lawsuit claim was spurred by Pokerstars refusal to issue the million dollar prize money due to her having won the tournament through someone else playing the series under her account. Pokerstars considered this a breach of agreement as Teltscher herself didn’t win the prize but rather another player who did not match the identity registered to her account name, “TheV0id”. After this information was discovered, the company moved the 2007 WCOOP second-place finalist up one position as the rightful winner of the enormous standing jackpot. Teltscher planned to contest the decision by entering into a legal dispute which would assert that she had actually played the entire tournament and was owed the sum.

Natalie Teltscher withdrew her lawsuit when faced with the investigative reports prepared by Pokerstars for the trial. The court at the Isle of Man was prepared to judge proceedings in the case but Teltscher’s removal from the dispute has dropped the issue and effectively ended the scandal with no damage done to Pokerstars reputation before the beginning of their 2008 World Championships of Online Poker.

Poker Bots Make Industry Observers Nervous Toward the Future of Online Play

The increased availability of downloadable poker bots is making some players and industry observers concerned for the game’s future. As access to automated programs becomes a more popular and viable option for sites and players alike many fear that the fundamentals of poker play may get lost or taken advantage of for profit.

Around the summer of 2000, programmers were first able to develop computer software which was capable of properly competing against human opponents. Eight years later algorithms have improved to the point wherein the
“Fell Omen” open-source practice bot created by University of California research, Ian Fellows is able to defeat the majority of non-professional human poker players and fellow AI. Fellows has commented on his system and discouraged its use as anything other than a device to hone skills but with the easy availability of these bots many are becoming concerned.

The
Man-Machine Poker event this year saw the Polaris II computer defeat human professionals and Fellows’ “Fell Open” program was likewise able to win out against sixteen other poker bots at the 2008 Computer Poker Competition. Many poker fans and industry observers following the news have noted the danger of players and unsecured sites being able to make use of advanced bots to cheat human users of money and this may inevitably force new levels of legislation and security to keep the online poker industry a safe and viable business.

Full Tilt Online Poker Series IX Kicks Off

Wednesday, August 6th saw the start of the ninth annual Full Tilt Online Poker Series with a $200 No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em tournament hosted by Allen Cunningham and hosting an impressive, million dollar guaranteed prize pool. A packed line-up of mainstay and innovative events is set to combine with high-profile hosts to offer a true poker spectacle for those in need of something to follow before the 2008 WSOP finals.

Full Tilt’s tournament series offering has always held a lot of fan attention and this year should be no different as plenty of high-stakes action has been scheduled for participating players. Among the fare is a $240 Pot-Limit Omaha/9 Knockout tournament, a $500 HORSE event, $200 Stud, $300 Mixed Hold ‘Em play and a $200 HA (meaning half PL Texas Hold ‘Em, half PL Omaha) set of games. Aside from Cunningham, a wide array of notable, internationally renown hosts have also been scheduled to oversee the games including, Max Pescatori of Italy, Jen Vörtmann of Germany, David Oppenheim, Chris Ferguson and Greg Mueller.

Interested players should log on to Full Tilt and check out the full schedule listings for themselves. Even for those only interested in watching the games, the promise of poker celebrities as hosts and the kind of competition attracted by enormous prize pools should be enough to keep things exciting.

If you are interested,
follow this link to go straight to Full Tilt Poker.

Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Welcomes PokerStrategist’s Ambassadors

Grosvenor Poker Tour
This year’s Grosvenor UK Poker Tour is just about to reach its sixth stop and players will now have to prepare for the arrival of German PokerStrategist professional’s appearance. Five of the best poker players from PokerStrategist are entering into the tournament intent on bringing back a victory for their franchise in the tough competition.

The Grosvenor UK Poker Tour started last year and is now embarking upon its second season as a new, annual tournament. The 2008 GUKPT is set to play out through nine different Grosvenor Casino venues with the final event being held at the London location. The five PokerStrategist representatives, HoRRoR, crazytalent, Unam, trader and BAndelfAnIE have all arrived to make their showing with only the first on the list having played thus far. HoRRoR has put the team off to a dismal start, failing to take money from the £150 +£15 PL Texas Hold ‘Em Freezeout he’s already played in but the rest of the players remain hopeful for their chances in upcoming rounds.

Time will tell how well the German PokerStrategist contenders fare in the rest of the tournament but for now they’re full of boasts for a big win. Whatever else happens, the professionals have had nothing but positive remarks for their poker blogs and the publicity alone should be enough to satisfy everyone involved at the event.

LaunchPoker.Com and LuckyAcePoker.Com Partnership Adds Odds Calculator to Deposit Bonus

lucky ace poker
LaunchPoker.Com is one of the best known information portals on the web and their recent partnership with LuckyAcePoker.Com has meant special rewards for their fan base. In a recently kick-started promotion, Launch Poker and Lucky Ace Poker have been able to offer a free odds calculator for qualifying users making a new deposit.

The Pokerbility brand odds calculator up for grabs essentially functions as a tip bank for poker players by reading and determining odds for their current hands. The program currently supports the majority of popular sites and is able to scan cards intelligently so that the resulting advice is statistically sound and a great form of assistance for players. Pokerbility usually retails for a little under $100 USD but readers of Launch Poker who make a deposit though the portal at Lucky Ace Poker will receive the software and a lifetime license to it for free (along with a 100% matching bonus up to $400). It’s a promotion that many will be excited about for good reason and one of the better reward incentives currently offered to online poker fans.

For serious internet poker players an odds calculator can be a great aid in increasing their success in the game and those interested in the promotion should check out the partnership now.

Online Poker Earnings Falter During Euro 2008

888 Internet Poker Bingo and Casino
888.Com have reported a substantial dip in earnings this summer due to the popularity of the Euro 2008 football series. Although the summer is often a slower time for some aspects of the internet gambling industry poker usually escapes the worst of the negative effects due to the mid-year months of big-name, high-profile card tournaments(such as the WSOPs, poker’s largest seasonal event).

The premier internet gambling company reported a significant revenue loss which is being attributed to gambler’s greater interest in Euro 2008 events however. Large numbers of card betters shifted their attention to sports gambling which has now caused 888 to further consider some of their options regarding June’s deal with Sportech and seek a greater emphasis on bookkeeping for next year’s summer. Although the company still manages considerable profits, company spokespeople have mentioned that preparation for upcoming sports-heavy months will see 888 centering on bingo and event betting while poker temporarily falters.

Luckily 888 have also released fiscal statements demonstrating the continued growth of their online bingo income and its help in restoring the losses incurred during this summer’s football tournament. The 888 ladies bingo site in particular was meant as a strategic effort to counter Euro 2008 losses. CEO, Gigi Levy commented that the financial hit was expected and that business strategy initiatives already in place have kept 888 optimistic regarding recoveries from losses and further growth in coming months.

David Saab Wins APT Philippines, Readies for Next Event in Macau

david saab asian poker tour
After becoming the champion of the first Asian Poker Tour Philippines in June and taking home $280,000 USD, David Saab has announced his attendance at the next leg of the APT in Macau. The second installment will see international professionals flocking to the enormous jackpots which are the largest ever in a global tournament.

Saab displayed impressive skills against the stiff competition in the Philippines but he remains confident for his turn in Macau. The Australian native has signed on for the continued events in Macau and its $1,500,000 prize pool guarantee (with a $500,000 minimum set for the winner) but will face even tougher opponents with the higher stakes. APT Macau will be held at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino from August 27th to the 31st. Buy-ins are set at $5,300 USD but, as to be expected, the big players in online poker sites are providing satellite games for qualification.

After the games finish playing out in Macau the Asian Poker Tour continues onward into South Korea and Singapore while continuing to pick up fans along the way. The landmark tournament has been an enormous success so far and should continue to generate publicity as it travels south this summer. Only time will tell if Saab will be able to continue his APT success story.

Germany Seeks to Legally Identify Poker as a Game of Skill or Chance

Online poker still exists in a kind of legal grey area for the German population but as the government has recently been conducting work to determine how to properly classify the game there may be a final definition in the near future. As the nation continually enjoys internet poker in greater numbers there is a pressure for the government to come to a final decision which will ultimately set a precedent for the rest of Europe.

The potential legal fate of online poker rests on whether the game can be classified as one where winners succeed through skill or random luck. German law prohibits games of chance through the Lottery Treaty due to a potential danger toward citizens becoming compulsive gamblers. In light of this, the fate of online poker has been recently subjected to due consideration so that it may be finally considered illegal or eligible for state control.

Experts have decided that laws must be based on a stylistic basis, case by case, and through this criterion, Texas Hold ‘Em has already been declared a game of skill rather than chance as a 1906 Reichsgericht court decision labeled it. With this one decision there may be good news in the future as the federal government in Germany passes legal judgment on different poker styles and publishes their findings for the rest of the European Union to see.

Irish Poker Star Padraig Parkinson Announces Freeroll and Gives to Charity

Padraig Parkinson, Irish poker professional and television commentator has given fans even more reasons to admire him. The recent announcement of a PokerTrillion.Com freeroll event has meant great rewards for poker fans after Parkinson’s noteworthy charity performance at the WSOP and it’s all thanks to the star’s devotion to giving back.

Parkinson has launched registration for his “$5,524 Padraig Online Freeroll” tournament in the wake of sponsor site, PokerTrillion’s already generous support of the socially conscious star’s playing at the 2008 WSOP. The tournament requires only a $1 contribution to the rake for eligibility and should feature good competition for the reward. The Irish star has launched this series as a continuation of his devotion to spreading the good fortune he has enjoyed. At the WSOP this summer Parkinson played the main event under the agreement that PokerTrillion would donate $1 for every competitor he outlasted. This amount will be further matched at the next ‘Simon Poker Day’ which aids homeless youth in Dublin.

Fans and industry observers alike should be glad to see one of the poker world’s professionals attempting to elevate the game into a socially conscious endeavor. The $5,524 Padraig Online Freeroll has already opened for registration so players should sign up now for a chance to win the main prize.

iPhone HoldEm Poker Review

Being an avid Poker Player and also iPhone fan, I couldn’t wait for the new Apple iPhone 3G to be launched along with the ability to install Apps to it via the App Store.

Well, one of the apps which I have really missed on my
iPhone is a good Poker application. Now, on my Blackberry I had a great Texas Hold’Em game which I used to play quite a lot.

I had heard that the
iPod Texas Holdem game ws getting ported from the iPod to the iPhone so this was great news to me.

As soon as I got my iPhone, one of the first applications that I bought was the
Texas HoldEm Poker application.

The application has fantastic graphics and they really show the iPhone off to its full potential. There are the options for Single Player or Multiplayer. In Single Player you play against the computer and with Multi Player you can play with other iphone players over WiFi and have mini tournaments courtesy of the
iPhone Application.

One really cool aspect is that you can tilt the iphone int landscape mode and gt a landscape view of the table, similar to most
online Poker clients. Then, if you switch back to portrait mode, the screen swaps back to the view of the payers and dealer in high-res graphics.

Gameplay is fantastic as you would imagine I will be keeping a close eye on various gaming applications on the
iPhone and I cannot wait for the first brave company to produce a real-money Poker application, now wouldn’t that be just great!

Enjoy the screenshots below.

iPhone Poker iPhone Poker iPhone Pokeriphone Poker

Titan Poker Satisfies Fans with ‘Day of Freerolls

Titan Poker is the most popular destination on the iPoker Network and with a series of ‘June Rewards’ which culminated in the June 30th ‘Day of Freerolls’ they set about giving a hearty thanks to their fan base. Aside from the complimentary buy-ins Titan was able to provide great cash prizes and a trip to the Asian Poker Tour Macau for lucky winners.

New additions to Titan from April and May who had made a first deposit and amassed a minimum number of loyalty points were automatically qualified for the initial freeroll games (
which saw $4,400 awarded). The next event was for players who stockpiled two thousand loyalty points between June 12th and 28th and ultimately rewarded them with entry into the hefty June Rewards $10,000 Freeroll. The most desired prizes were travel based however and the most skilled Titan players eagerly battled it out for the chance to win a seat at the APT Macau which is estimated at a value of $9, 000. Through the Asian Poker Tour Macau VIP Satellite serious Titan devotees were able to try for the grand prize after accumulating ten thousand points between June 21st and 25th.

Not to rest on their laurels,
Titan Poker has promised further events set to reward their users with cash and travel prizes. Among other planned incentives this September will see a $2,500,000 Guaranteed Prize Tournament taking place early in the month so Titan players should start practicing their skills now.

Computer Beats out Poker Pros in Second ‘Man Versus Machine’ Competition

The previously discussed Polaris II computer won out over seasoned poker professionals last Sunday at the second “Man Versus Machine” Competition. The University of Alberta created system was further developed to come back from its loss last year and proved that its improvements were enough to snag a narrow win against human opponents.

The competition was hosted at the
Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada and saw the new Polaris computer face off against seven poker professionals. After being defeated by the flesh-and-blood players last year the University of Alberta programming team adapted their system with features that allowed it to adapt to the style of opponents as the match went on and it seems that this difference was enough to eke out a win. Matt Hawrilenko was the pro up against Polaris II in the final Heads-Up, Limit Texas Hold ‘Em match and found the competition both entertaining and unnerving. He and the other human players commented that the possibility of a machine to best live professionals is a fairly frightening one.

Michael Bowling, head of the Alberta team behind Polaris II was excited by the win but also quick to note that his team would be back at work to further develop the system. Now that the computer is garnering even more attention from real-world poker pros it may prove even more difficult to continue the artificial player’s winning performance. A rematch is tentatively planned to take place next summer around the same time.

American Poker Players Support Obama for November Elections

Although for many politicians the support of poker players may be the furthest demographic from their minds American presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama is proving that having the gamblers on his side may prove an enormous help. Due to Obama’s stance on US legislature concerning the game he is drumming up a lot of interest from the masses of poker enthusiasts across the nation.

Although Senator John McCain is also a fan of gambling he frequents craps tables while Obama has identified himself as a Texas Hold ‘Em and Seven-Card Stud buff. The Democrat also seeks an end to the illegality of certain poker games within the United States and hopes to offer restrictions rather than outright bans. The Poker Players for Obama maintain consistent blog postings on his website and even former die-hard Republican, Doyle Brunson has announced that his vote will go toward the Democratic candidate in November. Perhaps the most striking sign of support comes from the million strong Pokers Players Alliance as their number alone shows great potential for favorable voting.

Considering that McCain supports the Republican bid for banning internet poker many fans of the game see Obama as the only correct candidate if they wish to continue enjoying their hobby or livelihood online. Regardless of other policies and campaign promises, Obama’s stance on poker and personal regard for the game has gained him a strong following as US elections grow ever closer.

Pokerstars Sued by Upset Winning Player

Natalie Teltscher, one of the winners of PokerStars 2007 World Championships of Online Poker (WCOOP) has filed a lawsuit against the company which has refused to issue a $1.2 million prize over an alleged breach of tournament conditions. The case is currently proceeding at the Isle of Man between the enormous company and the angry plaintiff.

The basis of PokerStar’s case against Teltscher stems from her decision to have a third-party play the entire tournament through her account. The company claims that this alone constitutes a failure to abide by the terms and conditions of the event thereby forcing a forfeit of the prize money. Teltscher plays under the screen name “the VOid” and this account was one of two left at the end of the 2008 WCOOP’s No Limits Hold ‘Em Main Event. The final contestants agreed to split the jackpot and ceased play which would have left the money in Teltscher’s hands had she actually been the one at the computer all along.

PokerStars lawyers contest that Teltscher never actually legally entered or played in the tournament and sees this as suitable grounds for dismissing the monetary reward outright. The most recent development in the lawsuit saw Deemster David Doyle adjourn the case stating that the matter needed to be fully addressed via contractual evidence before any verdict could be leveled.

Poker Pro Magazine Announces Plans for Extensive Series on California Card Rooms

California has long been one of the premier destinations for poker players across the world and in light of recent legal battles regarding the right to host money games or allow private card-game businesses, Poker Pro magazine has announced an eleven-issue series based on exploring the state legislature and gambling culture.

Beginning in September the notable publication will begin the massive undertaking and hope to educate many of their readers about the troubles facing the game in the Golden State. Currently, legislature only allows licensed card rooms,
tribal casinos and private homes to host a game which effectively makes a large number of the population criminals unbeknownst to many of them. As recent pushes by concerned citizens grow the magazine focus may be coming at just the right time to create even further attention toward the cause. California is currently maintains the highest population in the United States and has always been a desirable poker locale for players across the globe.

Poker Pro Editor-in-Chief, John “Johnny Quads” Wenzel has stated that the series will aim to explore the issues at hand as fully as possible, hence the almost year-long examination. Aside from legal discussions, Poker Pro will also feature detailed guides toward the best venues and events around as they launch their extensive coverage this fall.

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American Heatwave Leads to Increased Online Poker Traffic

The recent and drastic arrival of summer in North America has seen a larger than average volume of gamblers heading for online poker sites in the last week. Combined with the already high fever of the excitement surrounding the World Series of Poker player traffic is set to climb even further.

Wass Poker, a part of the Merge Network recently launched their business into the intense competition of pre-existing and already established sites within the industry and was delighted to find that high temperatures and the WSOPs have meant a lot of attention. The new site launched on June 1st and found an audience hungry for more online play due to a desire for new forms of poker play and a reluctance to venture out into the heat. American players are usually unaccounted for by British poker sites but the spillover of air-conditioned card sharks should see the entire business benefiting overall by virtue of the heatwave.

UK and European Poker sites who allow North American players have also seen their player traffic soar in direct relation to heat and humidity across the ocean and clients can expect to see a continuation of this trend. As the summer kicks into full gear the online poker industry is set to profit from an exaggeration of the already busy season.

2008 World Series of Poker Attracts Most Attention in Series History

With the popularity of poker constantly raising it should come as no surprise that the 2008 World Series of Poker enjoyed the highest attendance records yet. From the early promotion of the $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘Em games players and spectators quickly flocked to partake in the reputable series.

The
big jackpots and new games have all contributed to the excitement surrounding the WSOP with many amateur and professional poker fans coming out to take their shot at glory. This year’s addition of the pro-designed H.O.R.S.E tournament led to many accolades considering that the upper echelon players now feel as if they have a better venue for truly showing their skills. Just the same, even non-established card gamblers have the chance to qualify and make a name for themselves in many events during the WSOP such as the returning $75,000 first prize (which drew an estimated 3,500 competitors to the series).

One of the biggest surprises to the
WSOP scheduling this year is the postponement of the final nine Main Event player’s showdown to November 9th of this year instead of directly at the end of the July series. Even in spite of professional criticism regarding the series decision expect plenty of enthusiasm and coverage of the last plays this fall.

Asian Poker Tour Announce Next Event

With an unprecedented success in Manila the CEO of Asian Poker Tour, Chris Parker has decided to keep the ball rolling with future high profile events. As the international market for poker play grows it seems only natural that the company has sought to provide further, great options for the upper echelon of gamblers.

The
APT recently announced that they would continue feeding into the increasing popularity of the new tournament theater by hosting an even larger series of games in Macau. Parker shared the news at the Dusit Thani Manila near the end of the six-day Manila events. He described plans for a $1,500,000 US prize pool (the biggest yet for Asian poker enthusiasts) to be guaranteed for players who are able to front the $300 or $5,000 buy-ins. After setting records with Manila being the most heavily populated poker tournament to ever take place in the Philippines the APT should be able to keep fans happy by assisting in the creation of an enormous Asian tournament network.

The
Asian Poker Tour is heavily promoting the game to a virtually untapped audience who have recently shown considerable enthusiasm. With the announcement of the Macau games it seems that no end is in sight for the growing continental demographic.

WassPoker Introduces Caribbean Stud to Game Line-Up

WassPoker have recently implemented the addition of Caribbean Stud style poker play to their service, a move which is set to shake things up for visitors of their site and the industry as a whole. The leading site’s gaming repertoire is among the most extensive in the business and will continue to lead as an example for many others.

Although it may seem like nothing much,
WassPoker have been acting as something of a guide toward competing services and their Caribbean Stud offering means that many other sites are going to have to follow suit or fall behind. If the style catches on at Wass then we could expect to see an explosion of other sites in the business diversifying their poker options which results in good opportunities for consumers. Although many of the premier services fail to provide much more than Texas Hold ‘Em some of the most successful have hosted numerous styles for fans to enjoy.

Caribbean Stud is a poker style which has long enjoyed popularity in casinos due to its simple but intense gameplay. The dealer and player are both dealt five cards with the dealer’s all being face-down except for the fifth. Caribbean Stud quickly becomes a game of bluffing and betting toward victory, a style not completely unlike the wildly popular Texas Hold ‘Em.

Swedish Player Attempts Third Consecutive Cash at 2008 World Series of Poker

Stefan Mattson, a twenty-eight year old Swedish native has been making big waves with his attempts toward a third cash at the 2008 World Series of Poker. His unusual style and attitude toward the game has worked out so far and fans are ready to track future developments as the tournament continues.

Mattson is completely self-taught and turns his nose up at the idea of studying serious poker theory. He came up from playing cards with family members and learning from only his own experience. When Mattson began to vie for professional leagues in 2004 he quickly became a bigger name, cashing during both times when he sat at the Main Event of the World Series of Poker.

The newly famous
Mattson was quickly snapped up by the Purple Lounge team and is now enjoying the benefits of being a company sponsor. With the continuation of the enormous annual event he is set to have a perfect streak as a successful, big money player able to take home substantial earnings from the tough matches.

As the competition continues to play out it will be exciting to see how far
Mattson gets toward coming out on top. For now, spectators are excited to see if the self-taught Swede will be able to go three-for-three with his WSOP performances and cash big again.

Polaris Computer to Play Against Human Pros Again

Last year’s Man Versus Machine Poker Championship saw the top-of-the-line Polaris computer narrowly beaten by human opponents but the system is now being readied to try again in an upcoming event. This odd competition is a great opportunity for poker fans to take in a unique competition as well as providing artificial intelligence testing for scholar’s observations.

Developed by the
University of Alberta’s Computer Research Group, the further improved AI of the Polaris 2 has been tailored to stand an even better chance against competition this year. With advancements in AI and programs implemented to allow Polaris the ability to learn from mistakes and player styles during matches the unusual tournament could have quite a different result at the summer match-up. The technology employed in the Mark II Polaris is highly advanced and is set to push human players to their fullest abilities.

A similar format from the former event has been adopted with
Polaris 2 playing a controlled match against poker professionals. Ijay Palansky, Nick Grudzien and Matt Hawrilenko will make up the flesh and blood opposition to Polaris this year and hope to again prove that even the most advanced computer system cannot outdo humans just yet. The 2008 Man Versus Machine match will take place early in the month this July at the Rio All-Suite Hotel in Las Vegas as part of the Polaris Computer to Play Against Human Pros Again.

Poker Adviser Gives Advice to Insurance Professionals

In a strange bit of news this week, noted poker pro, Caspar Berry has been slated to give a speech regarding business lessons through cards to a group of insurance company risk management personnel.

Berry is perhaps best known for his work as a former poker star and adviser for the most recent James Bond film, “Casino Royale” but was also employed as a screenwriter and actor before pursuing poker as a full-time career, the career path which eventually led into public speaking. At the conference Berry will be the leader of seminars comparing the assessment of real-life risk taking to that of insurance policies.

The professionals attending are concerned with determining the necessary criteria for insurance companies in the business of car, home and life plans. Taking queues from the
poker world makes the subject colourful and allows Berry the ability to present big ideas within the framework of a well known game.

It is an interesting choice of speakers but
Berry has proven that his theories deserve note and may be of more value than mere novelty. The relationship between a professional poker player’s knowledge of risk assessment is a fascinating subject which the speaker is extremely well versed in. The Association of Insurance Risk Managers Conference will be held Tuesday June 17th and Wednesday June 18th in Edinburgh.

PKR Rated Best Internet Poker Site by British Poll

Many online poker fans already know that PKR offers some of the best-looking and most significant forms of innovation to be found within the industry but a recent poll by Hitwise has confirmed the site as the most popular in the industry.
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The survey was conducted via traffic monitoring and revealed that
PKR received the highest volume of visitors of any online poker room in the UK. Through their dedication to breaking ground while still remaining competitive toward important industry features (such as bonuses and good tournament schedules) PKR has deservedly found itself as a favourite for many players. Their earlier move into televised events and partnership with the Merge Network have obviously attracted a lot of attention toward PKR and, once there, the revolutionary ‘Emote Control’ software featured on the site has managed to keep users loyal.

PKR’s Managing Director, Simon Prodger was enthusiastic in a press release regarding the news, stating that it was reassuring to know that Britain was so dedicated to the site (which has never offered service to American players). With it being only partway into the year PKR is in a great place to continue their success story. With an unsurpassed level of graphical quality enormous and fan base the company should be able to go even further with their vision and maintain their status as the premier internet poker destination.

Liv Boeree Gets Tips from Annie Duke

Poker legend Annie Duke has been grooming young up-and-comer Liv Boeree for the upcoming World Series of Poker with the hopes that her student will be able to take home the coveted bracelet.

Although
Boeree has proven that she’s no slouch herself by taking first place (and $30,000) at the Ladbrokes Poker European Ladies Championship the professional tutelage of Duke is sure to come in handy for her looming competition. The two have been acquaintances since the 2005 UltimatePoker.Com Showdown after which Duke was able to help Boeree get her career as a professional poker player launched.

With her eventual signing to the
Absolute Poker teams the young astrophysicist turned card shark started to come into her own within the industry. With her striking looks, dynamic personality and formidable presence at the tables Boeree has become a phenomenon in the poker industry and the next step seems to be a great run at the WSOPs.

In recent months,
Boeree has managed to keep up an astonishing track record, taking ranking or first-place wins in a large number of London-based Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments and spreading her name through internet games. With Duke’s continued support and the guidance which can only be supplied through years of experience, Boeree could be in a very good position to emerge at the top of the events this summer.

Ladbrokes Poker Cleans Up Image to Stay Competitive


Although
Ladbrokes Poker could be content to settle on its laurels the company has recently announced a site redesign which hopes to attract even more business through improved features and enticing rewards.

Ladbrokes Poker’s managing director Edward Ihre stated that although the corporation has enjoyed considerable success in the European market it wants to show users a continued attention to detail by staying a step ahead of competitors. Players will now be greeted with promotional information and industry or brand news upon logging in. The main page has been made neater and, perhaps most interesting of all, Ladbrokes has finally taken steps to streamline their poker client with the sister casino and instant play sites.

With this move poker players will now be able to see all communities merged along with receiving access to everything on the
Ladbrokes network without having to juggle passwords or accounts.

This move could attract even more attention to the service by demonstrating
Ladbrokes commitment to customer loyalty. Although the improvements may not have been absolutely necessary the corporate willingness to put money toward bettering a site which wasn’t broken in the first place demonstrates a level of care which will escalate competition within the industry, something that always leaves the fans with better services.

DevilFish Switches to Entraction Platform for Re-launch

Paul Barnes, CEO of DevilFish Gaming has been making industry headlines as his internet poker service gears up for a second launch of the site through the Entraction network. The replaced software has changed the overall aesthetic of DevilFish greatly and will at least temporarily attract a lot of continued attention.

DevilFish is doing a lot to gain in popularity and with the revamped design of the site users can expect a wide array of extra promotions as well. The client was previously hosted through Excapsa software (the same network which hosts major industry leaders, Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet) and is named after the famous UK poker player, Dave “DevilFish” Ulliott. With Ulliott’s continued support and enough controversy surrounding their recent business moves to keep DevilFish Poker in the headlines there should be plenty of interest surrounding the page in the near future. DevilFish seems to be interested in taking advantage of their situation by roping players in now and attempting to impress them enough to stick around.

Users will have to try the new version out for themselves in order to see exactly how well it stacks up to the former service. Only time will tell how successful
DevilFish manages to remain after the dust surrounding their move has settled but if their gamble pays off it could mean another serious competitor within the industry.

Inside Gaming Announces Partnership with Income Access Software

Inside Gaming is one of the premier software and gaming systems companies and they have recently announced a partnership with Income Access Software as a means of creating improved affiliate functions and business plans across a number of clients.

The company recently told the press that this partnership was sealed and spoke of their plans to add their combined skills to the
Better Poker and Better Casino services. The extra boost which will be given to these already established sites will come by way of an improved management plan that the partnership will provide. Inside Gaming and Income Access Software hope to give their services to many a gaming website and improve their business through improved affiliate and company management. Their now joined skills could overhaul the average business into a powerhouse; Inside Gaming is reputable in their ability to aid the business plans of emerging online gambling companies and Income Access provides some of the best affiliate marketing software available.

To the average
online casino or poker room visitor this may not seem like big news but the implications could be far-reaching if this partnership is able to use their status for a number of sites. As more and more gambling networks are established on the Internet the solid skill set provided by Inside Gaming and Income Access Software could see a large increase in fantastic websites for users to frequent.

PokerStars Poker Room Review


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AOL Subsidiary Includes World Series of Poker Trips in Jackpots

Games.Com, an online casino run as a subsidiary of the enormous AOL corporation announced that they will be offering free, no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments where the top six players will receive trips to the World Series of Poker. The WSOP and AOL have long held a partnership which aims to give amateurs the shot to take home both prestige and the infamous tournament jackpots.

Greg Mills, Director of AOL Games commented that Freeroll play continues to be the most popular feature of Games.Com poker site and that this series of tournaments will have a great incentive for players hoping to make it to the WSOP. AOL will finance the winners’ trips to the main event within the US, put them up in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino along with the main prize itself, a seat at the WSOP. The winners will be up against seasoned professionals and if they play well enough, it could mean the beginning of a great career in the poker world.

Hopefuls should practice hard before the tournaments start up if they want to be in the upper echelon of the winning players. Games are already beginning and will run until June 15th at which point the top six will be identified and ready to travel to the
2008 WSOP.

PKR.Com is set to Expand into Television

Online poker corporation, PKR has recently announced a move which seeks to branch their brand name into television by broadcasting Internet poker tournaments into more than fifteen million homes across Europe. This recent move is intriguing in its attempt to help out talented online poker players who may lack the finances to compete in bigger venues.

Their initiative into more appealing aesthetics at their virtual tables has meant that
PKR will have the look necessary toward capturing audience attention. Player avatars and special spectator views will be accompanied by game commentary (provided by PKR.Com podcast personalities, Dan ‘Danski’ Grant James and ‘Jabbawa’ Bach). PKR hopes to give non-professional players the ability to gain recognition through this exciting venture and increase their brand while their users have a greater chance of breaking into the big leagues.

Thursday nights will feature
PKR’s $100 buy-in, $10,000 jackpot tournament with Saturday hosting the $60 buy-in, ‘$20,000 Guaranteed TV Showdown’. As PKR continues to focus on taking the business of online poker to new levels via intelligent innovation, devotees of their service can continue to benefit. UK poker fans can check out broadcasts soon on Sky TV channels 157 and 842 or attempt to qualify via the PKR.Com page.

Full Tilt Poker Review

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Poker Still Illegal in Washington State after Superior Court Ruling

For those keeping an eye on the state of poker gambling in one of the largest American cities, bad news was brought today in the form of a Superior Court ruling which maintains that online, money-based gambling is still illegal.

Lee Rousso, poker devotee and lawyer argued against the state’s regulation after filing a lawsuit but was ultimately defeated. Rousso maintains that the law should be appealed based on the fact that popular support is on his side instead of the governments and that legislation needs to be altered in light of this. After the court reached a decision he spoke to the press in front of the Poker Player’s Alliance, a group of almost seventy citizens led by the lawyer in their fight against what they consider to be an unjust and unconstitutional law.

Although his battle was lost this time
Rousso is not ready to give up quite yet. He announced that the matter would be brought up again, this time in front of the US Supreme Court. With the support of not only the PPA but also a great deal of the American public, Rousso could find himself successful if the matter is pushed. If Washington eventually relents it could open up a new door for many other international governments who have discriminated against online gambling practices, encouraging the growth of the business and discouraging the bad reputation of Internet betting.

Danish Poker Players Given Hope by Supreme Court

The question of whether private clubs can host poker tournaments was once again brought before Danish Supreme Court by effect of the political body re-opening its case against gambling today. A group of Denmark’s fervent poker fans have organized and spoken out in defense of the game’s community to great effect.

Danish poker fans were disappointed as the nation’s second largest governing body at Landsretten shot down the bill the last time it was brought to popular attention. Now, after an appeal to the decision was brought forth by the Danish Poker Federation and Frederik Hostrup, the law banning poker tournaments is up for questioning again. With the temporary repeal of the Landsretten restrictions of December 18th 2007 Danish gambling law has reverted to the old legal status wherein players can join tournaments again at their favourite clubs.

Poker gamblers all across Europe should be glad to hear the news considering the enthusiasm and talent which Danish card players bring to the continental scene. If Denmark changes legislature to allow tournaments neighboring countries may follow and lead to a less restricted and more enjoyable environment for the game to flourish within. For now, European poker players can only wait and see what time brings but if nothing else, this recent move has at least provided hope for a brighter future.

Dealtoplay.Com Centers on Social Networking with Online Poker and Casinos

As online poker continues to grow in popularity, social networking sites (akin to the enormous hits, Facebook and MySpace) seem to be the next smart business opportunity for companies hoping to profit. Advertisers and players alike are right to be excited about this new venue as Dealtoplay represents one of the premier services which could ignite a brand new service for the poker industry to foster.

Dealtoplay.com has recently launched their social network targeted at fans of online poker and casinos. The site is unique in that it knows it’s demographic and offers news reels and event listings tailored to those who visit. Members of Dealtoplay.com can create detailed profiles as well as add or otherwise manage friend lists; whether these are people they know in real life or have formed a relationship with from chatting at Internet tables.

Only time will tell how successful this recent venture toward cashing in on the
online gambling craze will be but as of now it looks hopeful. Already stories are popping up all over Internet poker message boards describing the great friends (and even partners) that players have found through Dealtoplay. If enough users flock to the service and leaders in the community give it their endorsement then we can expect to see poker and casino themed social sites to continue in partnership with gambling networks.

CryptoLogic Signs On for another Three Years with 888 Holdings

CryptoLogic, the Irish casino software developer has renewed its contract with 888 Holdings for another three years, news that means good things for both sides of the deal. As the contract goes forward players can expect the release of new additions to familiar poker clients (supported by 888) and innovation within the conventions we have all grown familiar with.

CryptoLogic is one of the premier software developers in the world of online poker and the continued funding of their efforts by an enormous Internet gaming company like 888.com means that players can expect even better features and programs to come. The company has stated that they are now beginning work on platforms meant to further the success of their existing WagerLogic system and department. CryptoLogic also mentioned that they were excited to benefit from the strong marketing and industry reputation of 888, seeing their next three years as a great opportunity to further their place within the business.

The reassurance that these two giants will stay in partnership also reaffirms the stability of
online poker’s prevalence in the business world. 888 Holdings has made a smart move by locking down the time-proven support of CryptoLogic and we can expect their hosted sites to continue leading the pack in online poker as a result of this move.

Liv Boeree Takes Title of Ladbrokes European Ladies Champion

Although many UK poker players may recognise Liv Boeree most for her participation in the Channel 5 reality show which saw her learning how to pick up the game, Boeree’s performance at the European Ladies Championship shows just how far she has come as a professional player.

The
Ladbrokes Poker event saw Boeree emerge as the top competitor out of fifty-two contestants all vying for the title. She took first place for the $30,000 prize and a seat at the World Series of Poker Main Event after two days of tough playing, beating out Lena Martyak at the last table.

Boeree used her time in the spotlight to comment on the concept of the Ladbrokes Poker European Ladies Championship, mentioning that the gender-exclusive tournament has gone a long way toward reaching the company’s goal of demonstrating the skill female poker players have. Ladbrokes Poker event manager, Lucy Sergides commented that the demand for the ELC has been impressive and hopes to see an increase of truly mixed-gender tables as the tournament gains publicity and demonstrates the quality of play.

Liv Boeree’s going to be a player to watch as she continues her career as one of the foremost female poker pros demonstrating a new wave of competitors in the traditionally male dominated sport.

Second European Championship of Online Poker Returns in Late May

After last December’s hosting of the first European Championship of Online Poker by Titan Poker turned out as a success, the company has decided to begin a second series starting on May 23rd.

The online tournament will last for ten days, finishing on June 1st and promises a great deal of action and quality competition for Internet players to engage in. With last year’s ECOOP paying out $2.5 million the stakes have been raised with a huge cash-out being certain to come after the Championship has been played through to the end.

Tournament hopefuls will have to put in some time on the tables to place in the ECOOP satellites or buy-in directly when the event kicks-off. Leader boards will track the best players up to the time of the Championship so expect fierce competition to emerge before the event has even started.

When the dust settles, Titan has also promised that the top hundred gamblers will be entered into a $50,000 Free Roll which starts only three days after the main event has finished. As with any major online tournament we can expect the ECOOP II to showcase many of the brightest and best upcoming and established poker players of the year, making the event one not to be missed.

Justin ‘ZeeJustin’ Bonomo Signed to Bodog

After becoming the youngest online poker player to make television at a European Poker Table and making waves by cashing out big at the World Series of Poker three times running, twenty-one year old Justin Bonomo has been signed to the Bodog poker team. He is now set to represent Team Bodog and its franchise as a promoter and representative of the successful poker company.

The Los Angeles native has only beenplaying within the spotlight for three years but is already attracting a great deal of attention and not just because of his age. Last year’s WSOP saw Bonomo play for Bodog as he climbed the ranks to the final table for the $2000 No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, finishing fourth but continuing to sport his Bodog promo clothing throughout the rest of the events.

Bonomo is excited to now join the team officially alongside big names such as Evelyn Ng and (former Survivor China contestant) Jean-Robert Bellande. This summer’s proceedings at the WSOP will determine how successfully the young player will be able to continue his impressive streak as an online poker player now sitting at physical tables. Bonomo is aiming high however as he told poker reporters that he was after nothing less than the gold bracelet itself for his new team.

Playtech Ltd. Reports Record Poker Revenue

British online gambling company, Playtech Limited reported ground breaking revenue generated from Internet casinos and poker websites today. Mor Weizer, Playtech’s Chief Executive Officer announced that the company’s earnings have enjoyed an incredible 97 percent raise from the same financial period last year (and a 19% increase from last period).

iPoker, Playtech’s online poker network, will host the second annual European Championship of Online Poker toward the end of May and in support of the continuation of the event, thecompany has decided to sign even more poker licenses as a sign of confidencethat this economic upswing will continue.

Playtech is expanding further by wayof global interests as earnings continue to increase substantially month by month. Weizer announced not only the coming addition of improvements andinnovations to their existing poker sites but also growth that seeks to break Playtech’s online casinos into Asia, a market which could further the sky rocketing business of internet poker.

As
Playtech Limited continues to gain momentum as a powerhouse within the world of virtual gambling the bigger picture demonstrates a bright future for the industry in general. With the proposed establishment of Asian based projects in the third quarter of this year it is likely that the great success of online casinos and online poker will be in no danger of coming to a halt anytime soon.

Norwegian Poker Championships in Nottingham


Norway’s strict anti-gambling laws have prohibited a
national poker tournament within the country itself so once again the best Norwegian card sharks have packed their bags for Britain in order to determine the 2008 champ.

The
Norwegian Poker Championships took place at Dusk Till Dawn and featured a coming together of Scandinavian and British players as they bet it out to determine the best poker competitor for the year. Exciting side events and a generally lively spirit have taken over the well known UK poker venue for the last few days as Norwegian TV covers the events for the fans at home.

British poker professionals like Pete Linton, Dave Penly and Lucy Rokach have emerged as contenders for the main event alongside Norway’s top players including Andreas Hoivold and Johnny Lodden ensuring that poker fans from both nations will have a favourite to follow.

The
Norwegian Poker Championships have generated a lot of buzz in Nottingham and online since the games started and many take heart in the hosting of such a high-profile affair. Dusk Till Dawn and Nottingham itself stand to drum up great business from the event as well as demonstrating the great potential that an annual repeat could have for British poker and the city.

Paysafecard Wants Your Bad Beat Stories

Instead of heading to your favourite poker forum to discuss your loss at online tables, Paysafecard is offering incentives to share your ‘bad beats’ with them for a chance to get your stake back in the bank.

The UK based company acts as a bridge between your money and virtual chips, and has been moving up as one of the premier services in transferring money between the Internet and your physical accounts. The
Paysafecard company is now looking to provide further incentives to get you onto their business by providing a weekly draw wherein a refund of the money gambled (and lost) is awarded on Mondays to the player with the best story of a horrible loss.

By playing at any of the provided
online casinos (Pokerstars, Partypoker, Ultimatebet and many others) and having entered a game using the Paysafecard service a failed gamble can be recorded with a screenshot and sent to [email protected] wherein stories are considered for winning the weekly refund. Luckily your identity is hidden so even by sharing your embarrassment, not everyone who visits the site has to know the humiliation suffered.

It’s a good idea to drum up further service for the company and may be just the push needed to get
Paysafecard established as the foremost electronic funds management service in the United Kingdom for the booming online poker industry.

Top Poker Podcasts

Podcasts are a fantastic way of learning new skills. I listen to a variety of Podcasts on a weekly basis.

As more and more of us are utilising
MP3 players, and with the Apple iPod being the outright market leader, Apple came up with the term on "podcast". A Podcast is like a radio show, that you can subscribe to through iTunes, or just download the MP3 of the Podcast through the Podcast providers website. There are podcasts covering every vertical, from news, to shopping, to, of course, online poker and gambling.

I listen to a few
Poker Podcasts and I thought I would share them here for my readers.

Poker Night
The Circuit
Two plus Two Pokercast
On the Rail
Full Tilt Poker Podcast
Pokerroad.com Podcast

Click the links to try out each of the podcasts.

Jon Kalmar Brought Onto the Ladbrokes Team

Ladbrokes Poker has been making news this week with their acquisition of UK poker star, Jon Kalmar. The teams newest pro was signed after gaining notoriety as the only British player to get to the final table during the 2007 WSOP Main Event where he eventually took home $1.25 million (placing fifth in the tournament) after considering quitting from a streak of bad luck that plagued him for most of the series.

Kalmar, known as ‘Skalie’ from his online handle is enthusiastic about his inclusion in the Ladbrokes line-up. Ladbrokes Poker manager, Edward Ihre maintains that the signing was only a formal gesture for Skalie who was already a regular player at Ladbrokes online. Nevertheless the adding of a new pro like Kalmar to their roster can only mean more good publicity for the team.

Only time will tell how
Jon Kalmar fares as a member of Ladbrokes Poker but the team’s 110 players July party at the Voodoo Lounge, Las Vegas should give Skalie a chance to show off his chops. The spotlight will be on the rookie member as he hopes to use his multi-table skills and headline Ladbrokes Poker’s new promotions and tutorials in the future.

Infamous Poker Star Brandi Hawbaker Found Dead

Brandi Hawbaker was declared dead on Sunday, April 13th in a California residence. The twenty-six year old player has become famous in the worlds of both online and physical casino poker, in part aided by her good looks and wild personality. A Los Angeles County Coroner ruled Hawbaker’s death as a suicide while family and friends have since referenced an unidentified mental illness as the likely cause of her actions.

Hawbaker began to attract notice when she was chip leader for the first several weeks of the 2006
World Poker Tour Fiesta al Lago Classic and welcomed the spotlight with a unique brand of exhibitionism and spunk. Poker forums were abuzz with news and debate of the new player and Hawbaker was no stranger to her rising star often provoking and reacting to debate about her.

In the predominantly male world of
poker, Brandi Hawbaker emerged as an anomaly and showed that she was eager to stand as an equal among the biggest, loudest and most skilled players regardless of gender. Her attitude and looks garnered initial attention but her dedication to poker and success at the tables earned her staying power which was tragically cut short by her suicide. Hawbaker is survived by her three younger brothers, father and step-mother and the Nashville native’s ashes will be scatted in the sea as per her wishes.

Thieves Steal £150, 000 to Fund Poker Spree

An odd bit of news sees the conclusion to a recent story regarding two brothers who managed to scam roughly £150,000 to fund a trip to Vegas poker tables. Mohammed Imran and Mohammed Ifran (both in their mid-30s) were top players in the international poker scene before their arrest for the crime, having played against enormously wealthy Microsoft chief, Bill Gates and entrepreneur, Kerry Packer in Las Vegas before and at such illustrious tables as in the Bellagio Hotel venue. The theft was carried out in order to enable a continuation of high-stakes play against the best players in Las Vegas.

The brothers were able to access an error made within the automated banking system from back around the time of the Halifax and Bank of Scotland’s merger. Using a single, expired Halifax Bank of Scotland card, large amounts of money were frequently withdrawn from various cash point machines until the captured sum was amounted. Imran and Ifran were caught once the bank became aware of the withdrawals, referenced surveillance footage and later raided their homes.

Before the theft, Mohammed Imran was ranked 32nd in the 2005 World Series of Poker and Ifran at 19th but after their capture the two have been banned from all UK casinos and it seems incredibly doubtful that visas will be granted for Imran and Ifran to travel to American poker tables.

The brothers plead guilty and now face jail time around two years for the perpetration of their crimes.

MGM to Cash in On Poker Popularity with ‘Deal

Given the massive (and constantly growing) fan base of poker it seems only natural that Hollywood would address the craze with films based on the game. The newest James Bond film, ‘Casino Royale’ came close but wasn’t as concerned with the cards themselves as other elements of action and last month’s release of ‘21’, a story based on MIT card counters was immensely popular even though its casino setting was centered around the game of blackjack.

MGM Studios have recently announced a new poker-based feature entitled ‘Deal’ with Shannon Elizabeth, Burt Reynolds and Bret Harrison set to star. Aside from the cast of mainstream actors the film is projected to supply cameo appearances of real-life poker players such as Phil Laak, Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem and Vincent Van Patten in an effort to provide something special for the dedicated poker followers sure to make up a large part of the audience.

With the announcement of ‘Deal’ and the great success of ‘21’ expect for a large number of poker-themed blockbusters and primetime television series across the world. As new fans flock to the game every day there is sure to be significant demand for film makers to supply stories based on their favourite pastime.

German Online Poker Continues to Gain Popularity

Although online poker remains in a legally hazy situation within the nation German poker players are continuing to flock to Internet Casinos to get their fill of the game as a recent poll by Deutsche Welle has demonstrated.

Through careful placement of server and corporate headquarters in nations outside of Germany,
online poker companies have been able to successfully muddle the penal system to make virtual play a viable option for the population. In Germany the law dictates that gambling is only permitted within a recognised, physical casino and this has made the transition toward online play difficult.

However as statistics demonstrate that somewhere around
200,000 to 290,000 Germans access poker sites for play (and around one million Euros were gambled by this route in 2006) the nation’s legislature is proving ineffective toward a proper regulation.

Although the German government could stand to make significant federal income from a full legalisation for now it stands that only the tax authorities themselves are profiting from this rise in
online poker’s popularity. The first step toward a greater degree of control may come soon enough however as celebrity sponsors and social acceptability are increasing along with mainstream online play showing that perhaps in a short time spectators may witness fully legalised online casinos for Germany.

Dutch Parliament Refuses Online Poker to Monopoly Holding Casino

The Dutch government recently turned down a bill which would grant Holland Casino the exclusive rights to provide a Netherlands based online casino to citizens. The company holds the monopoly for gambling in the Netherlands and was hoping to expand their market by offering the only viable service for Internet poker playing within the nation.

Various factors resulted in the Dutch Parliament refusing the expansion of Holland Casino’s monopoly which was overturned by only two votes in the company’s appeal to the Netherlands government. Ministers hope that by voting against the appeal it will dampen Dutch gambling practices by stopping another outlet to online poker playing although gaming betters will still find ample venues internationally and within the EU itself.

The parliamentary move has also dealt a minor blow to Holland
Casino’s software provider, CryptoLogic who have been working with the corporation for over a year on developing the proposed online casino. With the denial of a Dutch internet casino option CryptoLogic will no longer be able to benefit from the revenue sharing system they had put in motion during their time working for Holland Casino. Brian Hadfield, the software corporation’s CEO remains optimistic however as he and the rest of his team at CryptoLogic were anticipating the refusal of such a bill and continue to work for other clients.

60 Minutes to Attack the World of Online Poker

CBS’ influential weekly news show, 60 Minutes is reportedly turning to the world of online poker for a new expose. The issues being examined in the one hour program are not ones that should concern law-abiding internet poker players however as the news team’s investigation is set to look into those services which fail to properly monitor age verification and credit card information.

The primary focus of the episode will be in breaking down the basics of exactly how
online poker functions, a process not unknown to those players who frequent virtual tables. Pokerhelper.com’s Nat Arem has expressed concern that the report may sway popular opinion toward a negative view of online poker by way of having their first introduction into the phenomenon brought by way of a sensationalist broadcast. Two past reports by the CBS team have looked at the industry before to slightly negative effect but this third attempt is rumored to be more specific in its approach of the subject.

At this point it is mostly the PR managers of
online poker corporations that are concerned with the fallout the 60 Minutes piece may have so this news should not worry the casual enthusiast. Only time and broadcast will tell exactly how severe a blow the show may have on the industry.

Online Poker Player Beats Professionals

Poker Royal FlushAndreas Jorbeck took down Europe’s top poker professionals in his first ever live game, the PartyPoker.com hosted Late Night Poker 2008 tournament. Jorbeck, 36 hails from Stockholm and has been playing smaller-scale online poker for around four years, never imagining that it would take him to this level of prestige.

The final round featured players from the World Poker Tour including top champions, Roland de Wolfe, Andy Black, Ian Frazer, Eddy Scharf and Surinder Sunar among others. The event was broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK and saw Jorbeck beat out de Wolfe after playing as an underdog for most of the rounds and winning an impressive $125, 000 by virtue of his win.

The Stockholm resident pressed his advantage in the finals by taking on a more aggressive approach to the play which enabled him to emerge at the top of the round, leaving the former champion de Wolfe as runner-up and 2008 Premier League Winner Black in third place.

Jorbeck is being touted as an example of the quality of online poker players as he managed to win against seasoned live-game professionals. PartyPoker.com is understandably enthusiastic about Jorbeck’s display and his show of skill in a tournament that had him barely pegged as a contender.

Barklem Competing for UK Pub Poker Champion

The British Fossway pub in York has seen the rise of local grandmother and former Nestlé employee, Christine Barklem (known to her friends as Titch) in poker competitions. Barklem, 52 only just recently learned to play having picked up the game around the end of last summer from getting into pub rounds and has shown a natural talent at Texas Hold ‘Em.

Despite winning multiple games and racking up a good deal of local notoriety, Barklem has been rewarded with little by way of money. Her entrance into the UK Pub Poker Championship itself only rewards £100 and a trophy because of strict laws governing gambling regulations within Great Britain. Just the same Barklem has already entered into the top three hundred pub poker players in all of the United Kingdom with little less than a year’s experience under her belt – an honour not to be underestimated.

The finals of the UK Pub Poker Championship will be held this Sunday, March 30th at Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn and will determine the final winner of the long weeks of intense poker playing. Barklem will surely have fans cheering her on as she goes for the title.