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Even though live action at the World Series of Poker* has wrapped up until November, EPSN has begun broadcasting this summer's events in earnest. For the remainder of the summer, Tuesday night will officially be “Poker Night” on ESPN, with two hours of scheduled coverage set to air until November 8.

While we were hoping for broader coverage of the side events, ESPN will be offering a more focused approach for the American market. Poker fans can tune in to watch the "grudge matches" that kicked off the WSOP, including the reprise of Phil Hellmuth and Johnny chan's showdown from years and years ago. These special events were designed specifically for television, so expect high production values and dramatic cuts. On August 2, you'll be able to watch the $25,000k Heads Up No Limit Hold 'Em Championship. The only other events that will see airtime include the $50,000 Players Championship and, of course, the $10,000 Main Event.

Norman Chad and Lon McEachern will be back as commentators for the coverage, which will, as usual, focus on the big name pros and the most dramatic all-in moments, so while you're not likely to get an in-depth look at the game, it should certainly be entertaining. ESPN’s coverage so far this year consisted of both semi-live (30 minute tape delayed) and live coverage, the latter of which did not display hole cards on screen. Color commentary was provided by pros such as Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari and Olivier Busquet.

If you’re just interested in Main Event coverage, you’ll need to wait until August 16, but until then you can always play online poker at Bodog!
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O Canada! Our home and native land!’ Yes, that might just be the call from one American online poker pro who has made the big decision to cross the border into the USA’s North American neighbour.

However, another Internet star doesn’t quite yet have the need to learn the Canadian national anthem after having his hopes dashed – for now – by that nation’s immigration authorities.

Several pros, including Olivier Busquet and four-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu, have travelled north following the US Department of Justice (DoJ) decision to shut down more than a few online poker websites – including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker – back on April 15, or ‘Black Friday’ as that shocking day has now become known.

In the three-and-a-half months since that fateful day, there has been a steady stream of American online stars quitting the States to ensure that they can continue making a living from poker.

The latest to abandon the USA for Vancouver is Phil Galfond (‘OMGClayAiken’) after he quit New York, but another star, Daniel ‘Jungleman12’ Cates, has failed in his initial attempt to relocate to the beautiful British Columbia city.

Galfond – who won the WSOP $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys event back in 2008 for $817,781 – took to microblogging website Twitter to announce his departure when writing: “To everyone asking, I moved to Canada to play.”

Of course, many poker insiders had predicted a mass exodus of American online pros following that dark spring day, but it really has been more of a trickle.

However, the high stakes star is not unduly worried about his future as he talked about his joy at once again being allowed to display his undoubted skills online, writing that he “was really happy to be back playing at @PokerStars”.

Galfond, who is known as ‘MrSweets28’ on PokerStars, added that the website have “been extremely helpful and responsive with getting everything set up again”, although he hasn’t had as much luck with PartyPoker.

The native of North Potomac in Maryland continued by posting that he had hoped “to start playing on @PartyPoker, but they’ve responded to 0 of my 3 e-mails over the past 3 days trying to verify my account”.

Still, it is almost certain that many other pros will look to follow in Galfond’s footsteps now that the WSOP in Las Vegas is over for another year.

However, for now, Cates won’t be among them, although that could all change very shortly…if he can sort out his visa problems.

Another Maryland native, Cates also ventured on to Twitter to report that he would be “leaving for Vancouver tomorrow, time to crush online again 😁”.

But that post proved to be inaccurate as the 21-year-old – who is considered by many to be the best heads-up No-Limit Hold’em player in the world – was refused entry by the Canadian immigration authorities.

Cates, with his online cash earnings from PokerStars and Full Tilt sitting at about $7 million – including more than $5 million last year – later tweeted that, “in a ridiculous twist, I have been deported from Canada for being an illegal immigrant… Going to Seattle tomorrow to try to get temp visa”.

We will soon know if he has been successful, but he later followed up his second post with another that stated: “Apparently I need a visa to play poker for a living in Canada? Wtf? Anyone know about the immigration laws here?”

So, will Galfond and Cates open the floodgates for a poker player evacuation to Canada? Or will we see most remain in the USA in the hope that any future laws created by the American government will be stacked in their favour?

It is certainly a strange time for North American poker pros, that’s certain.
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The Global Poker Index, which lists the top 300 live tournament poker players in the world at the moment, updated yesterday and here are the top ten players as of July 28, 2011:

Bertrand Grospellier • 2450.09 points
Jason Mercier • 2434.30
Erik Seidel • 2415.23
Eugene Katchalov • 2248.83
Samuel Stein • 2168.85
Fabrice Soulier • 2133.87
Sorel Mizzi • 2118.97
Thomas Marchese • 2035.66
David "Bakes" Baker • 2027.32
John Juanda • 2013.63

Interesting, Ben Lamb, who's presumed to be the World Series of Poker* Player Of The Year, only went up nine places, from #50 to #41 after what could only be described as stellar play at this year's event. This actually says a lot about how tough the dialed is in the GPI and how it uses a variety of metrics and a player's three-year history to determine their ranking on the list. Lamb did have four great WSOP finishes, no doubt, but Grospellier finished 1st and 3rd in two $10,000 WSOP events and received a large point boost from some High Roller victories in the spring.
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Online poker players in the USA have a new voice that aims to support their need for the “unacceptable” status quo that exists right now in the country to be altered, thus providing “Americans who want to play poker online” with a “strictly regulated, safe industry”.

FairPlayUSA is a recently-formed coalition that came into existence following the confusion surrounding what the future is likely to hold for US poker after the shocking events of April 15, when the Department of Justice (DoJ) shut down several poker websites, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.

PokerStars – the world’s largest online poker room – have refunded customers’ accounts to the tune of more than $100 million, but Full Tilt and Absolute Poker have so far failed to follow suit.

‘Black Friday’ was certainly a wake-up call to many American poker players, but the problem now is that there seems to be no definite path being followed by the US government to bring in laws that will support the rights of those wishing to play the game online.

But FairPlayUSA – which is based in Washington, DC – hopes to “educate policymakers and the public on the broad public policy interests raised by the current ambiguous laws in the US that have led to millions of Americans gambling on the Internet”.

The organisation’s board includes three advisors in American pro poker player Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer – the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event winner – as well as Tom Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania and original United States Secretary of Homeland Security, and Internet safety specialist Parry Aftab.

As a group, they have put together a petition that targets the development of laws that will be clear and concise in relation to online gambling.

Marisa McNee, executive director with FairPlayUSA , said that the organisation’s “website and online petition will be the focal point for recruiting and organising supporters who will actively engage and make their voices heard by members of Congress”.

Additionally, McNee said that FairPlayUSA will look to encourage “law enforcement officials, those who support Internet consumer safety, and online poker’s strongest asset – the millions of Americans who enjoy online poker” – to sign the petition that aims to push forward any future laws relating to online poker.

The organisation hopes Congress will immediately tackle the online gambling issue by passing federal laws that will allow Americans to play the game they love on the Internet.

FairPlayUSA’s website issues a call to arms on their home page that states: “TELL CONGRESS IT’S TIME FOR FAIR PLAY. The status quo is unacceptable. Americans who want to play poker online deserve a strictly regulated, safe industry here in the United States. Parents must be assured their children cannot gamble online. American consumers must be protected.

“Existing federal laws regarding online gambling are not working, and US law enforcement does not have the most effective tools necessary to shut down operators who are engaging in illegal activities.

“In essence, we have a ‘wild west’ atmosphere with no US regulation – nothing to prevent minors from gambling and no consumer protections.

“It’s time for Congress to address the problems associated with offshore Internet gambling and give law enforcement the tools to crack down on illegal sites that offer all forms of gambling. And it’s time for Congress to ensure the integrity and safety of online poker.”

Strong words, I’m sure you’ll agree. But they have managed to capture the feelings of countless Americans on this troubling issue.

So, if you fancy signing the petition, pop on over to FairPlayUSA.com.
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ESPN officials are happy with the production and ratings performance of its unprecedented live coverage of the 2011 World Series of Poker, according to Cardplayer.com.

Earlier this week, the website said the 11 broadcasts of poker’s premier event drew nearly half a million viewers — above what is expected in the late-night timeslot it held on ESPN. Ten of them were on ESPN2 and the final on ESPN. The network’s taped and edited broadcasts began this week and continue every Tuesday until November.

“This was something the sport needed in order to take the next step,” ESPN’s senior director of programming and acquisitions Doug White told CardPlayer. “ We don’t want poker to become stagnant. We want to be very fresh and progressive with our coverage, whether that means updating the featured table sets or increasing the amount of on-air analysis.”

Also lauded was the analysis of top professionals Antonio Esfandiari and Oliver Busquet, a sentiment with which I agree wholeheartedly.
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For the next two weeks, NBC's Poker After Dark is going to be focusing on a $100,000 buy-in no limit hold 'em game that will feature an assortment of personalities including Mike Matusow, Peter Jetten, Chris Ferguson, Michael Mizrachie, Jean-Robert Bellande, Brandon Adams and Phil Hellmuth. The blinds are $200/$400 with a $50 ante. This is cash game ninja Jetten's first appearance on the show and he told one poker news website "As far the lineups for this game go, I've got a dream lineup here. I'm looking forward to playing."

While it's Jetten's first, this is the second time around for The Mouth and Jesus, who faced off against one another in a cash game last season where Ferguson bluffed Matusow out of a pot holding seven/deuce in one of the more memorable hands played on the show. Adams is on his third Poker After Dark appearance and after last season's amazing run against Hellmuth, viewers can look forward to some real action.

While NBC airs the show late at night in the US, players around the world can watch it online or through local broadcasts. In the meantime, if you want to enjoy somepoker action of your own, play online poker at Bodog today!
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Barack Obama is said to be a good poker player.

He's said to have learned the game from his grandfather back in Hawaii and to have been a regular player in a game run by a state senator back in Illinois.

You'd never know it.

Obama's poker style in dealing with Republicans has consistently been to show his cards early and to quickly fold.

It's not that everything about five-card stud is transferable to dealing with playing partners as crazy as the tea partiers. But you'd think at least some of the bluffing skills necessary for poker would come in handy in dealing with a crowd that's willing to gamble with the entire American economy.

Back in December, Obama started negotiating with the Republicans on the extension of the Bush tax cuts by saying he'd agree to them.

He didn't start negotiating saying he'd never do it, or that he might do it. No, that he'd absolutely do it.

No lines in the sand. No talk about the Wall Street bankers making record profits while the rest of the country wallows in a recession/depression.

Obama's only bargaining point was how long should the tax cut extensions be for.

Game, set and match. Republicans.

It shouldn't have been a surprise by December that the president was a weak negotiator.

The candidate who had promised that national health care would be his highest priority almost immediately took the one feature that would have made a national health-care plan workable — the threat of a public option for private insurers unwilling to bring down their costs — off the table.

The health-care debate went downhill from there, and the president and the Democrats delivered a miserable, watered-down plan that was expensive to boot. The public took revenge in the 2010 elections and elected the House tea partiers.

Fast forward to the summer of 2011 and tea partiers' first chance to exercise real power. They open their bidding by demanding that the president make draconian cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

And even before they'd received those concessions, they proposed a constitutional amendment mandating that, in the future, a two-thirds vote of Congress be necessary before federal taxes could ever be increased.

"Cut, cap and balance," they called it, and they pledged they'd go down in flames with it.

Obama's response was to make another lousy opening bid.

He conceded that federal spending should be cut three times as much as any taxes increased. And he did it at the precise time progressive economists are saying the still weak economy needs more spending.

From the president's weak opening, it was just a short hop to the Democrats conceding to the tea party that no taxes would be increased at all. So even the increases that would have resulted from plugging tax-law loopholes — the stuff that subsidizes oil companies and farmers that grow ethanol — were quickly eliminated.

Bad poker.

Meanwhile, the House progressive caucus was nowhere to be found. They're evidently also lousy poker players.

As soon as the tea party announced it was willing to let the United States of America default on its debts, the progressive caucus should have called the tea party bluff.

They should have said, fine. If you're going to act that irresponsibly, we'll act irresponsibly, too. We won't back any raising of the debt ceiling that includes any reductions in Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Once the Wall Street crowd got a good whiff of that stalemate, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner would have raised the debt ceiling pronto. Heck, they and the Wall Street Republicans would have pledged allegiance to it.

The votes for a normal, unencumbered increase in the debt ceiling would have been there in a heartbeat. Like they were for St. Reagan, like they were for George W. Bush.

Remember, all that increasing the debt ceiling does is allow the country to pay the bills it has already run up, not to accrue new ones.

But Obama didn't bluff. And the progressive caucus didn't bluff.

The tea party, however, did bluff.

They know how to play poker.
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The hot mess that is the Brad Ruderman Hollywood poker scandal has heated up with a trial date now being set for Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire, who's set to appear in court on the week of January 30, 2012. He's part of a group of celebrities and high rollers being sued by a group of investors whom Brad Ruderman bilked for millions of dollars, using the hedge fund he managed as a personal poker account. Maguire, 36, won $311,200 from Ruderman at the poker table, according to the papers filed. The former Peter Parker admits that he won and duly received $187,000 from Ruderman, but that he also lost $168,500 to him, which should offset any liability in the case. Winnings were sent to Maguire through seven bank transfers between June 2007 and May 2008.

Included in the lawsuit alongside Maguire are names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and poker pros Dan Bilzerian and Gabe Kaplan. One popular muckraker site pulled up the court documents filed in court earlier this week and besides the date of the trial, the filing states that both parties have until Nov. 30, 2011 to depose all possible witnesses and disclose the evidence they’re planning to bring up at trial. Evidence submitted in Maguire’s defense so far includes several checks written from accounts he maintains called “Poker Account” and “Poker Account (2)."

If nothing else, he's very organized. Uncle Ben raised that boy right!
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With the storm winds of the United States’ financial mess swirling through Washington, D.C. the last few weeks, it would seem that poker would be the last thing on elected officials’ minds, but online poker did receive a public word of support Monday from a member of Congress, the same day the House passed the debt ceiling deal.

Congressman Michael Grimm (R – NY) issued a press release touting the work of FairPlayUSA, a grassroots organization that aims to “educate policymakers and the public on the broad public policy interests raised by the current ambiguous laws in the U.S. that have led to millions of Americans gambling on the Internet,” as well as encourage the federal government to establish a regulatory framework for legal online poker.

“I applaud the efforts of FairPlayUSA for launching its coalition to combat illegal gambling,” Rep. Grimm wrote in a statement. “As a former FBI agent, I fully support the efforts to create a strong regulatory framework for legal online poker and to crack down on illegal sites, many of whom have ties to organized crime. With many adult online poker players in my District of Staten Island and Brooklyn, I support their right to continue playing; however, I agree that it must be in a law-abiding forum that provides protections for America’s consumers and children. Together we must fight for the return of quality, good paying jobs to the United States and a strong regulatory framework for legal online poker will contribute to that goal.”

Of course, poker players will take issue with Rep. Grimm’s notion that online poker sites have ties to organized crime, but the overall sentiment is very positive for online poker’s cause, as he wants online poker legalized and regulated so that Americans can be free to play when they want, where they want.

Unlike many people and groups who want to legalize online poker, FairPlayUSA does not want to necessarily see the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) repealed. Instead, the organization wishes to have it strengthened so that “illegal” internet gambling is strictly defined, leaving no ambiguity. And while FairPlayUSA believes that legislation needs to be passed at the federal level in order to ensure proper regulations and consumer protections are put in place, it also feels that each state and Native American tribe should be able to decide for itself whether or not it wants to allow online poker within its borders.

The FairPlayUSA Board of Advisors includes a very familiar face to the poker community: 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Greg Raymer. Raymer has been one of the most visible and outspoken crusaders for the effort to legalize and regulate online poker, often supporting the Poker Players alliance in its efforts and appearing on television to argue for regulation. Also on the Board are Tom Ridge, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Governor of Pennsylvania, and Parry Aftab, a lawyer and expert on family and consumer cyber safety and a member of the National Telecommunications Information Agency’s Online Safety Technology Working Group.
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The Scottish leg of the ever-popular Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT) took place over the weekend at the Gala Merchant City Casino in Glasgow. After two days of top class poker it was Grant Spiers who emerged victorious, defeating Jamie Kearns heads up to claim the title, a gold medal, a seat to a GUKPT Main Event and £3,095 in prize money.

A total of 131 players descended on the casino and paid the £75 (rake free) entry fee, creating a prizepool of £9,825. Of those 131 starters only 24 of them made it through to Day 2 with their chip stacks still intact. One by one these 24 survivors were being gradually whittled down until only two players were left on the final table.

Going into the one-on-one battle Speirs held a 1,027,000 to 283,000 chip lead over his opponent and it only took 20 minutes for him to press home his massive chip advantage. The final hand saw Kearns lead out for 40,000 chips on a {J-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{6-Diamonds} flop and Speirs call. The turn was the {8-Spades} and Kearns announced he was all in for his last 250,000 chips, Speirs snap-called and turned over {8-Diamonds}{6-Hearts} nicely in front of the {J-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} of his opponent. The river was the {9-Clubs} and with that Kearns was eliminated from the tournament and Speirs announced as the APAT Scottish International Champion.

Final table payouts
1st: Grant Speirs: £3,095
2nd: Jamie Kearns: £1,965
3rd: Martin Turner: £1,176
4th: John Bannerman: £786
5th: Steven Bayliff: £590
6th: Steven Hall: £491
7th: Dean Cursley: £393
8th: Mark Lockhart: £295
9th: Alex Thompson: £246
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Who came out on top in the weekly $100,000 guaranteed online poker tournament held this past Sunday, July 31st? LOEWA79 took first place this week, earning $24,921.60. They were followed by San Juan Kid ($14,361.60) and pieinsky , who rounded out the top three spots while taking away $9,609.60. Here's the rest of the final table results: whynut ($7,392.00); AA_PeachOfaHand ($6,019.19); NaN Q ($4,752.00); VThokie09 ($3,484.80); uNOiTzRIGGED ($2,323.20) and MeriMistilteinn ($1,372.79).

In addition to our show-stopping Sunday events, Bodog hosts its regular weekly tournaments to players, and here's the winners of last week's events!

July 25 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: MrSoloDolo17 ($4,537.50)
July 26 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: McGidd ($4,028.75)
July 27 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: sanzard ($3,850.00)
July 28 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: Tru Noodle ($3,795.00)
July 31 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: sharkman7 ($3,588.75)
July 31 • $10k Guaranteed Turbo Double-Stack MrSoloDolo17 ($4,590.00)

Once again, we've got a repeat winner! Special note should be made of MrSoloDolo17 and the fact that they took down two tournaments at Bodog in the same week! Congratulations on joining GoRangers and T_CRAMEZZZ in a very exclusive club!

Bodog's guaranteed tournaments mean that there's always a big cash pool and with more players getting in on the action every week, that means there's more to be won Play poker online at Bodog and get your share!
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One of the biggest discussions in the world of poker is whether it acts as a game of chance (like roulette or slot machines) or as a game of skill and it appears that in France, at least, the low has ruled that it's the latter. The case was brought before the court after accusations were leveled against poker tournament organizer Jean-Pierre Gleizes and others. After days of testimony, the French Criminal Court of First Instance backed the defense team's opinion that poker is closer to chess than a casino table game. Witnesses for the defense included a poker pro, chess and bridge champions and a mathematics professor who plays poker.

But the prosecution has appealed that decision, with the ultimate ruling resting with the country’s Supreme Court – or Conseil d’Etat.

At Bodog, of course, we feel it's a game of skill: you play against other people and even if the cards are randomly shuffled and distributed, you make every decision related to the game and how it's played. If you've never tried the game, you can always play free poker online at Bodog to get your feet wet.
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Manne wrote: The big question these days is where is poker in the U.S. headed? Two recent reports, one in the Wall Street Journal Technology section and the other in the Digital Biz section of CNN Online, analyzed and wondered about the effects of Black Friday on online poker, the player pool and TV ratings.

More than 10 million Americans played online prior to April15, 2011, when the U.S. Federal Government raided Poker Stars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker, creating an online poker room environment that would soon be devoid of American players. The effect has been seen not only with online play but also to a degree on TV as the popularity of poker shows has declined. The big question many analysts are asking is “what’s next in the world of televised and online poker?”

Healthy WSOP

The World Series of Poker (WSOP), which was recently held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino on the Strip in Las Vegas, did not see a decline in player attendance. A total of 6,865 players competed in the Main Event, paying $10,000 each, which was about equivalent to last year’s pool. Also, an average of around 400,000 viewers watched the WSOP live events on ESPN and ESPN2 recently. ESPN will start airing taped segments from the entire WSOP tonight and the Final Table of the Main Event will be aired live later in the year when the nine finalists reconvene to duke it out for the main title and gold bracelet.

As far as the WSOP is concerned, there still seems to be a healthy interest in the game. But the WSOP is this biggest game of all poker games by which all players match their skill and talent. The paydays are huge with the winner of the Main Event taking home around $9 million.

But there will be something missing tonight and from the rest of the WSOP shows on ESPN. A few things actually won’t be there—mainly two of the biggest sponsors—Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. It’s hard to advertise at the biggest poker event in the world when you’re under indictment for breaking U.S. laws related to online gambling. The two online poker sites have been major sponsors for years.

Although there seemed to be a lot of action at the WSOP, Dave Behr, a poker industry executive and analyst, noted that “The atmosphere was definitely deflated” Behr continues by observing, “The continuing fallout from the Full Tilt situation — notably the total silence from Full Tilt Poker as to when U.S. players might expect to receive their money — put a damper on the whole Series. Every week that went by, the FTP situation seemed to get worse and that in turn siphoned some of the pageantry out of the World Series of Poker.”

U.S. Market May Open Up

The news that the U.S. online market may open up has created some excitement. But the news that it could take years for it to do so has tempered that excitement. Even a bill that is ultra friendly to online poker, such as the one sponsored by Republican Congressman Joe Barton from Texas, will take time to wend its way through the House and Senate and the various committees.

And although eventually there will be online poker in the U.S., those rooms that are located in other countries will be kept out at least for the first two years. With that news various providers of poker services and software have been trying to make connections and sign contracts with land-based poker rooms in the U.S. who will be in a position to legally offer services.

Recently, it’s been reported that 888 Poker, which is in the U.K., and Caesars Entertainment Group, the largest land-based casino group in the world, have been involved in a series of talks. Also, in June of this year Playtech, which is based in the British Virgin Islands, inked a deal with Scientific Games in the U.S.. Together the two companies created Sciplay with the idea that Playtech and Scientific Games would supply the California Online Poker Association (COPA) with online poker technology for fun games. That contract put Playtech one step away from being the provider for full out, money-based online poker in California, where a majority of the online poker players live and play.

Whatever the future of online poker in America may be, it’s clear that those who think and act the quickest will find themselves in place to reap the benefits.

TV Ratings Down

Along with the online predicaments that poker has faced is the fact that the TV market has shown a marked decrease in viewership. In fact, it’s simply a matter of time before most of the six or so shows simply fold. These shows have aired on various networks, including ESPN, News Corp’s Fox Broadcasting and Fox Sports Net and Comcast Corp.’s NBC. Many of these same networks have enjoyed millions upon millions of dollars of advertising revue from the major online poker sites.

Now all of that advertising is gone and most of the shows have been cancelled or will probably be cancelled by next year. Brian Balsbaugh, founder of Poker Royalty, and agent representing poker players in sponsorship contracts, believes that of the shows out there only the WSOP and World Poker Tour will be left at the table. He may be correct about the former but on the latter, Fox, which is the network that carries World Poker Tour, is on record as saying it does not plan to broadcast any more poker shows.

Shows that look to fall under the axe include Poker After Dark (NBC), which is sponsored by the deeply troubled Full Tilt, The PokerStars.net Big Game (Fox), which has been cancelled and North American Poker Tour (ESPN), which has also been terminated. The World Poker Tour, which has not been cancelled but may be if Fox does get out of the game, may stay if it can find some action from another network.

The Future

Although overall, the WSOP managed to be a success, there was pallor that analyst Behr sees as being foreboding. “My prediction,” says Behr, “is that the steep drop everyone feared this year will become a reality in 2012.” He may be right as the conveni
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Manne wrote: One of the biggest discussions in the world of poker is whether it acts as a game of chance (like roulette or slot machines) or as a game of skill and it appears that in France, at least, the low has ruled that it's the latter. The case was brought before the court after accusations were leveled against poker tournament organizer Jean-Pierre Gleizes and others. After days of testimony, the French Criminal Court of First Instance backed the defense team's opinion that poker is closer to chess than a casino table game. Witnesses for the defense included a poker pro, chess and bridge champions and a mathematics professor who plays poker.

But the prosecution has appealed that decision, with the ultimate ruling resting with the country’s Supreme Court – or Conseil d’Etat.

At Bodog, of course, we feel it's a game of skill: you play against other people and even if the cards are randomly shuffled and distributed, you make every decision related to the game and how it's played. If you've never tried the game, you can always play free poker online at Bodog to get your feet wet.
Gambling games have been popular since ancient times. These are entertaining and exciting at the same time. Casino games are popular for many reasons. Some of them are money, fun and adventure. Internet is used by one and all and casino games are no exception. Online casino games are as popular as the normal ones. These games are accessible from anywhere if a person has access to an internet connection. They can be played from the comfort of one’s home.
Real casino games prove to be very expensive and are out of reach of most common people. However in case of online casino games, their fee is not an exorbitant amount, which allows most people to play the games. As these are virtual games, there is no need to travel physically to the casinos which can save a lot of money in terms of trips to the casinos, or hotels.
Online casino games provide an opportunity to play the game in a specific atmosphere depending on their mindset at that point of time. Sometimes, these games are interesting only if played in the company of other enthusiasts. In such situations, there is an option to invite your friends online and play the game in a noisy atmosphere which resembles the real casino atmosphere. These games are a good choice for those who would like to enjoy the game in solitude from the comfort of their home. As these games are played online, usually from the comfort of one’s home, one may enjoy other activities like watching TV as well while playing these games.
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Manne wrote: The Scottish leg of the ever-popular Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT) took place over the weekend at the Gala Merchant City Casino in Glasgow. After two days of top class poker it was Grant Spiers who emerged victorious, defeating Jamie Kearns heads up to claim the title, a gold medal, a seat to a GUKPT Main Event and £3,095 in prize money.

A total of 131 players descended on the casino and paid the £75 (rake free) entry fee, creating a prizepool of £9,825. Of those 131 starters only 24 of them made it through to Day 2 with their chip stacks still intact. One by one these 24 survivors were being gradually whittled down until only two players were left on the final table.

Going into the one-on-one battle Speirs held a 1,027,000 to 283,000 chip lead over his opponent and it only took 20 minutes for him to press home his massive chip advantage. The final hand saw Kearns lead out for 40,000 chips on a {J-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{6-Diamonds} flop and Speirs call. The turn was the {8-Spades} and Kearns announced he was all in for his last 250,000 chips, Speirs snap-called and turned over {8-Diamonds}{6-Hearts} nicely in front of the {J-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} of his opponent. The river was the {9-Clubs} and with that Kearns was eliminated from the tournament and Speirs announced as the APAT Scottish International Champion.

Final table payouts
1st: Grant Speirs: £3,095
2nd: Jamie Kearns: £1,965
3rd: Martin Turner: £1,176
4th: John Bannerman: £786
5th: Steven Bayliff: £590
6th: Steven Hall: £491
7th: Dean Cursley: £393
8th: Mark Lockhart: £295
9th: Alex Thompson: £246
Most of the websites which provide an option to play games online are on a constant lookout to attract more visitors. Thus there is a huge choice of games from which one can select. This allows an individual to play their favorite game or try something new that promises to be exciting and adventurous.
The number of people playing these games is on a constant rise. With more number of people playing the games, there is a huge competition which makes the game fun, energetic, fast paced and adventurous.
There are many websites which offer these games. These online games are a good pastime for many if played in reasonable limits. They are fun to play and can also help in making some money which is the most exciting part of any casino game.
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Manne wrote: If you're a poker player in Pennsylvania's lakeshore district, here's some good news: the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board says that the Presque Isle Downs & Casino can add a poker room to its offerings. Currently, the facility features over 2,000 slots and tables games such as blackjack and roulette along with restaurants, lounges and a simulcast racing facility that lets players keep track of their bets around the US and Canada.

The gaming board approved the poker tables on Wednesday as part of a hearing in which it also renewed the casino's slot machine license. Pennsylvania casinos must get such licenses renewed every three years, and the addition of poker to the state's gaming laws last year means that this is going to be a regular process for casinos in the state that are looking to expand their offerings. Multiple casinos in the Philadelphia area have reported increased revenue and traffic thanks to their poker tables, even as they drain away business from Atlantic City.

Casino officials are hoping the poker tables will bring in about $500,000 more revenue each year before expenses.
We all live very hectic lives and we rarely get time to just take a deep breath of fresh air. There are so many things that one can do in spare time. We just choose to never look at the options that are available to us. Our lunch break is time that we get for ourselves, but how many of us spend it productively? Relaxing your mind can also be productive because a relaxed mind works better. Relaxation varies from person to person. Some people like to play online casino games when they get a break. This is something that takes a load off your head. The best part about playing online casino games is that you do not have to leave the office to play.

You have to leave you desk whenever you need something, however to relax all you need to do is sit back and enjoy a good online casino game. Most people just waste their lunch time by chatting with their colleagues or co-workers. Instead this is the best way to get relaxed and also the best way to place some bets. Online casino games come in all different forms. Some of them are the traditional casino games whereas some of other games have a modern twist. There are so many people who play online casino games everyday. The gaming industry has grown so much that now there is a demand for new games to be released.
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Manne wrote: Online poker players in the USA have a new voice that aims to support their need for the “unacceptable” status quo that exists right now in the country to be altered, thus providing “Americans who want to play poker online” with a “strictly regulated, safe industry”.

FairPlayUSA is a recently-formed coalition that came into existence following the confusion surrounding what the future is likely to hold for US poker after the shocking events of April 15, when the Department of Justice (DoJ) shut down several poker websites, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.

PokerStars – the world’s largest online poker room – have refunded customers’ accounts to the tune of more than $100 million, but Full Tilt and Absolute Poker have so far failed to follow suit.

‘Black Friday’ was certainly a wake-up call to many American poker players, but the problem now is that there seems to be no definite path being followed by the US government to bring in laws that will support the rights of those wishing to play the game online.

But FairPlayUSA – which is based in Washington, DC – hopes to “educate policymakers and the public on the broad public policy interests raised by the current ambiguous laws in the US that have led to millions of Americans gambling on the Internet”.

The organisation’s board includes three advisors in American pro poker player Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer – the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event winner – as well as Tom Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania and original United States Secretary of Homeland Security, and Internet safety specialist Parry Aftab.

As a group, they have put together a petition that targets the development of laws that will be clear and concise in relation to online gambling.

Marisa McNee, executive director with FairPlayUSA , said that the organisation’s “website and online petition will be the focal point for recruiting and organising supporters who will actively engage and make their voices heard by members of Congress”.

Additionally, McNee said that FairPlayUSA will look to encourage “law enforcement officials, those who support Internet consumer safety, and online poker’s strongest asset – the millions of Americans who enjoy online poker” – to sign the petition that aims to push forward any future laws relating to online poker.

The organisation hopes Congress will immediately tackle the online gambling issue by passing federal laws that will allow Americans to play the game they love on the Internet.

FairPlayUSA’s website issues a call to arms on their home page that states: “TELL CONGRESS IT’S TIME FOR FAIR PLAY. The status quo is unacceptable. Americans who want to play poker online deserve a strictly regulated, safe industry here in the United States. Parents must be assured their children cannot gamble online. American consumers must be protected.

“Existing federal laws regarding online gambling are not working, and US law enforcement does not have the most effective tools necessary to shut down operators who are engaging in illegal activities.

“In essence, we have a ‘wild west’ atmosphere with no US regulation – nothing to prevent minors from gambling and no consumer protections.

“It’s time for Congress to address the problems associated with offshore Internet gambling and give law enforcement the tools to crack down on illegal sites that offer all forms of gambling. And it’s time for Congress to ensure the integrity and safety of online poker.”

Strong words, I’m sure you’ll agree. But they have managed to capture the feelings of countless Americans on this troubling issue.

So, if you fancy signing the petition, pop on over to FairPlayUSA.com.
Playing online comes with its own Fun. The basic thing is that people who log on for the first time can also play any of the games with ease. This is because all the games come with some instructions and pointers to make the online casino games easier. A person who has never played these games would be able to play and have fun because all the details are provided online. It is also a fact that most people learn casino games from online gaming sites rather than actual casinos.

Playing online would always be fun as long as you know how to play. It is also better that you become a member of some gaming site, so that you get some additional benefits. Online casino games are a huge thing and would grow to become even bigger. In the near future we would be able to experience online games that we have never heard of nor seen before.
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Bodog founder Calvin Ayre reckons PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker were closed down by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on April 15 as the North American country’s government attempts to move towards the legalisation of online poker.

The 50-year-old Canadian billionaire pointed out that it appeared “clear” to him that ‘Black Friday’ – when the DoJ also shut down Absolute Poker – was a necessary move aimed at bringing order and regulation to online poker rooms through the USA.

However, he strenuously refuted claims that Bodog – which is currently still operating in the United States via their Morris Mohawk Gaming Group (MMGG) subsidiary in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, Quebec – might be caught up in this latest, unfortunate predicament.

Ayre spoke to British quality Sunday newspaper The Observer, saying that “it’s clear to me that the United States is gearing itself up to enter this industry”, while also pointing out that “it’s impossible” that his company could be hit by any government restrictions.

He added that, while Bodog “was included [by the DoJ in a sworn statement in a related case], I can’t see any reason why it should have been other than to get publicity…Bodog wasn’t involved in any of that”.

Ayre also pointed out that MMGG chief executive Alwyn Morris “does have a business that takes bets from the US – and he does have a brand licensing deal with me – but he told me that he doesn’t know any of those [payment] processors mentioned in the filings”.

PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker have not be able to operate in the USA since mid-April, while Full Tilt was also closed to British poker players on June 29 after the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) suspended their licenses.

While PokerStars have paid back over $100 million to their US customers, the troubled Full Tilt have still to begin returning approximately $150 million to their clients across the globe.

Meanwhile, Bodog’s British operation was recently awarded a Gambling Commission licence to operate within the European nation.

Additionally, Bodog have signed sponsorship agreements with English Premier League football club West Bromwich Albion as well as Scottish First Division team Ayr United FC as the company looks to promote their products to the British market.

However, it does appear that Bodog have their eye on breaking into the lucrative Asian market as the company aims to expand their operations, with Ayre saying that “the real market is in Asia, not in North America, anyway”.
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Søren T. Larsen from Denmark has won the fourth European Masters of Poker season III title topping a 303-strong field at Clontarf Castle Hotel, Dublin, Ireland on Sunday July 31.

He lifted €71,210 for his victory in the €1,100 buy-in event which saw the final table whittled down to Larsen over 137 hands - only 12 of which consisted of heads up play.

Heads up Larsen started with 4.5 million chips and was up against experienced Irish player Dara O’Kearney who had 1.5 million chips.

The final hand saw O’Kearney push his final 1.2 million chips into the pot on the button before being called by Larsen. O’Kearney had Kd 8h and Larsen showed Jd 9d which found a dream flop of Js 9c 7d and when the turn an river fell 6s 4s Larsen’s flopped two pair secured victory and the title.

The final results and payouts were:

1. Søren T. Larsen (DEN) - €71,210
2. Dara O´Kearney (IRE) - €42,720
3. Jukka Nybäck (FIN) - €27,880
4. Michael McCloskey (IRE) - €16,970
5. Jimmie Torneus (SWE) - €13,330
6. Sigurd Eskeland (NOR) - €10,300
7. Michael Muldoon (IRE) - €9,090
8. Johan Palokangas - €7,880
9. JP White (IRE) - €6,670

Larsen now joins Abdul Atila Seiar Seiar of Romania, Jukka Koskela of Finland and Stefan Hansen of Norway as season III EMOP winners who took down titles in Bulgaria, Spain and Portugal respectively.

The tour now gears up for its fifth stop in Gran Casino, Barcelona, Spain, Dublin from September 29 to October 2, 2012.

Qualification for the €1,000+€100 buy-in main event in Barcelona is now underway on all poker sites on the Entraction network including 24hPoker, Club4Aces, NoIQPoker, Pokerihuone.com, Victor Chandler Poker, and Irish Eyes Poker for as little as €2 or 200 VIP points.

August sees six Iron Man Freeroll’s take place with one EMOP Barcelona package worth €2,000 guaranteed in each event.
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This weekend saw the jaw-dropping release of Phil Ivey’s Full Tilt Poker account information, revealing that he owed the company up to $6.2million. Ivey, one of the leading faces of Team Full Tilt, was shown to have received a total of $10.2million from the site in loans between June 2009 and April 2011.

The story was broken by Subject: Poker editor-in-chief Noah Stephens-Davidowitz, who claims on the Two Plus Two forums that he came into possession of the raw data not from ‘someone looking to harm somebody’, but because he went looking for it.

Ivey originally sparked his fair share of controversy when he entered into a lawsuit (now withdrawn) against Tiltware, Full Tilt Poker’s software provider, following the events in the weeks after Black Friday. Ivey condemned the company, stating that he was ‘deeply disappointed and embarrassed that Full Tilt players have not been paid money they are owed’, even taking the drastic step of choosing to boycott the 2011 WSOP in protest.

Tiltware hit back hard, describing Ivey’s lawsuit as ‘frivolous and self-serving’ and an attempt ‘to further enrich himself at the expense of others’. They even went so far as to let slip that ‘Mr. Ivey has been invited – and has declined – to take actions that could assist the company in these efforts, including paying back a large sum of money he owes the site.’

Stephens-Davidowitz makes a number of allegations based on the account information, the highlights of which are as follows:

- Ivey received a loan totalling $10.2million in $500k and $1million installments credited to his Full Tilt account over the course of two years.

- In October and November 2009, he made repayments to the total of $3million.

- After this, save for his last recorded repayment in the spring of 2010, Ivey continues to receive large sums but ceases to pay them back.

- It is possible the money was repaid in cash or bank wires for which no information is available, but Tiltware’s ominous reference to Ivey’s debt suggests otherwise.

Another big name to be embroiled in the fracas is none other than Full Tilt Red Pro David Benyamine. Stephens-Davidowitz asserts that:

- Benyamine appears to have been indebted to FTP dating back to 2008.

- Sizeable deductions were being made from his salary and bonuses almost as soon as he received them, with the transactions noted as ‘loan collections’.

- By 2010, Benyamine was collecting a hugely increased yearly salary of $500k. However, it was clear he still wasn’t debt-free, with his hourly payments and rakeback going out of his account the same day they went in.

- Benyamine managed to withdraw with apparent ease a sum of $5,500 for ‘travel expenses’ seventeen days after Black Friday, while thousands of Full Tilt players remain to this day unable to touch their frozen funds in the wake of April 15.

This is a further slap in the face for all players awaiting reimbursement, following the recent news that the hearing into Full Tilt’s potentially unlawful actions has been postponed until mid-September. It is still uncertain whether or not rumours of prospective investors in the site will come up trumps, but for now all that the masses of frustrated players can do is wait.
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