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Flipout Tournaments Coming to Full Tilt Poker

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Flipout tournaments are a cross between shootouts and FTP’s luck-based flip tournaments.

In a Flipout event everyone is all-in blind on the first hand but then it switches to a regular-style freeze out from there. Everyone who survives the first hand is in the money.

It’s obviously a gambling-charged hybrid but the advantage is that after the flip stage there should be some very soft spots in the tournament as theoretically the weaker players haven’t been weeded out in the earlier stages of the event.

Online Poker Play Online at Full Tilt Poker Room Mozilla Firefox 4142011 31013 PM

Flipout Festival to Offer $25k in Added Cash

Flipout tournaments can be played 9-handed, 6-handed or 4-handed and in some of the tournaments winning your initial flip will earn you a place at the final table.

The concept goes live tomorrow with Full Tilt launching a Flipout Festival with 108 tournaments and $25,000 in added prize money.

The festival will also include a few freeroll tournaments to help players adjust to the new format.

To learn more or sign up for the site be sure to swing by our Full Tilt Poker review.



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Why Bayern Munich Boss Uli Hoeneß Belongs in Poker

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If you do recognize the name then you likely know the Bayern Munich football club boss is on his way to jail in Germany - willingly - on tax evasion charges.

Hoeneß resigned his position as Chairman of one of the world's richest and most successful football clubs on Friday and is staring down 3.5 years in prison, starting immediately.

Doesn’t sound like a poster boy for global poker, does it? PokerListings Germany's Dirk Oetzmann explains why Hoeneß is actually the perfect candidate to step into poker when his term is up.

By Dirk Oetzmann

Uli Hoeneß used to be famous for three things:

1) Missing a penalty at the 1976 Euro finals 2) Denouncing and submarining the career of his rival Christoph Daum 2) Turning Bayern Munich into the richest and most successful football club in the world

Now, there's a fourth thing.

ulihoenesscigar
Not afraid of a big game. (Photo: dpa)
 

If you've followed the lawsuit Hoeneß has starred in over the last few weeks you can't help but acknowledge that of all the potential players in the poker industry he needs a poker sponsorship the least – but deserves it the most.

Let's break down his actions and consequences:

For years, Hoeneß has been playing a really Big Game. Gambling in the stock market is a lot riskier than gambling at the tables, particularly at high stakes.

And the stakes he's played are very, very high. His account balance went up to 150 million Euro at one point. Had he been a poker player, he would basically be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Pre-Flop Play

Hoeneß started trading/gambling in 2001, he says. And even though he had no experience he managed to get himself staked.

Robert Louis-Dreyfus, at the time head of the international sportswear corporation Adidas, lent him 20 million Deutsche Mark (c. 10 million Euro) to start with.

By the way in 2002 Adidas purchased 10% of Bayern Munich shares for 77 million Euro. From 2003, Adidas board member Herbert Hainer became deputy chairman of the board at Bayern Munich. Since Hoeneß’ retreat, he is again the new chairman.

andybeal
Not even Beal's bankroll would scare him. (Photo: dpa)
 

Also, Adidas has an unusually long term contract with Bayern Munich, lasting until the year 2020.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that there is any connection between this and the “staking.” You would lend your buddy some money, wouldn’t you?

But clearly Hoeneß is a very gifted player. Within only a few years he turned that 10 million Euro into 150 million. According to press articles he made a profit of 80 million Euro in his most successful year while losing 40 million in his least.

With those figures, not even Andy Beal could scare Uli Hoeneß.

Hoeneß also knows how to deal with nemeses. It took only one interview in the fall of 2000 where he insinuated that his personal rival and enemy Christoph Daum might be involved in cocaine abuse.

Daum lost his job, his chance to become the coach of the German national team and, ultimately, his career. Daum left Germany and worked in Turkey and Austria for the next five years.

Flop Play

Uli Hoeneß never showed his hand until he learned that his name showed up on one a list of tax evaders the German government had bought.

He quickly handed in a voluntary declaration and reported himself to the police.

Too late, though, as even the celebrity friendly Bavarian legislative had to acknowledge it and he was sued for 3.5 million Euro in tax evasion.

At this point Hoeneß tried a great bluff. He admitted to evading 18.5 million Euro instead to demonstrate that he is, in fact, an honest guy.

Unfortunately he got check-raised by the Government and was accused of evading 27 million Euro instead.

Turn Play

ulihoenesscrying dpa
Knew he was beat so checked it down. (Photo: dpa)
 

Hoeneß now knew he was beat so he decided to check it down. He remained silent in court and let the lawyers battle it out.

He must have been aware that anything he said could make things worse and prolong the lawsuit, and he really didn’t want that.

Apparently, nobody did. Judicial inquiries often take years in Germany but the whole Uli Hoeneß lawsuit was resolved in only a matter of days. Maybe, some things weren’t meant to be discovered.

River Play

Considering the immense amount of money involved Hoeneß’s sentence of 3.5 years is about the lowest you can possibly get, as several experts on tax legislation have stated.

His lawyers announced an appeal immediately, and this is where Hoeneß plays his last and maybe best move: He overrules his lawyers and accepts the judge’s decision. At the same time he steps down from all his offices.

Some say he might have accepted the sentence as an appeal would have led to a longer one, but maybe that’s just malicious gossip.

Showdown

horst seehofer
Even Horst Seehofer is sympathetic. Horst Seehofer!
 

Uli Hoeneß, guilty of tax evasion on an unprecedented level, is now being praised by large parts of German society for being a man of integrity.

Even chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her “deep respect” of Hoeneß. Horst Seehofer, Bavarian secretary of the state, calls him “a man of stature, who handles his situation very responsibly."

Even Christoph Daum showed sympathy!

Seehofer, by the way, is the head of the very conservative Christian Social Union party, the third largest party in Germany. It promotes traditional family values and faithfulness, but has no problem with its leader having an extramarital child. Bavaria is special.

People even held demonstrations in front of the court to show their “solidarity” and to demand “freedom for Uli." Bayern Munich has already signaled that Hoeneß might still have a future at the club.

And his sentence? Three-and-a-half years still sounds serious. But here’s what’s really going to happen.

He’ll be on day release within a few months, so he will only have to stay the nights in prison. He’ll get early release at the earliest possible time. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was home for Christmas.

Perfect Guy to Clear the Slate

Uli Hoeness laughing
Poker face needs work. (Photo: dpa)
 

So, if Hoeneß is able to get away so easily with such a serious offence and, at the same time, earn respect from people all across society, imagine what he could do if he was representing a game like poker.

He's the perfect guy to clear the game of all the negative images and its shady reputation.

Or at least he would demonstrate that this reputation isn’t necessarily harmful.

Bring Hoeneß to the poker table and we will have the next EPT winner announced during the 8 o’clock news!

If there's anything he has to work on, it’s only his poker face.



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Daily 3-Bet: Barry G. Wonder, Tran Thunder, Survive & Advance

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Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop a note in the comments and we'll gladly take a look.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Barry Greenstein wondering what might have been with his 300-yard golf drives, JC Tran lingers in the final 24 at his hometown WPT Rolling Thunder in Sacramento and we get inspired by Jimmy V and the NC State Wolfpack one more time.

1) Greenstein: Honor in Poker

Barry Greenstein
BG: Had some punch off the tee.
 

First off: We need more Barry Greenstein in the poker media again.

Always one of the most open and thoughtful interviews on the poker circuit the "Robin Hood of Poker," although still a PokerStars pro, has faded from the spotlight a bit over the last few years.

Popping up for a third-place finish and $100k score at last year's WSOP it's still been a relatively quiet couple of years tournament-wise for Barry G., but let's not forget just how critical he's been to the development of the game.

Simply put: he's one of the best, most popular players ever and a more than worthy Hall of Famer. He's also one of poker's best storytellers so it was great to see a new post today about his hit-and-miss relationship with the game of golf.

Surprisingly capable of driving the ball 280 yards, he says, Greenstein narrowly missed on what might have been a career with the flatsticks. In the end he found a bit more honor in his fellow poker players and, thankfully, turned his back on golf.

It's a great read; check it out here.

2) JC Tran Charging at WPT Rolling Thunder

JC Tran
Tran defends home court.
 

As we've said before there aren't too many poker players we've rooted for more than JC Tran at the 2013 WSOP Main Event.

As we also all know things didn't go quite as planned and Tran had to settle for fifth place and a (still very pleasant) $2.1m payday.

As the ninth-leading American money winner of all-time, thougn, we knew it wouldn't be long before we saw him back in contention for a major prize. Even better, this time it's on his home turf at the Rolling Thunder casino in Sacramento.

The local legend came into the final 24 with a relatively short stack but has already hit a key double up to put him back in contention for the $300k prize and WPT title.

He's sitting on 650,000 right about now, in the top six and just under average stack as they play down to the final table today.

Check the WPT Live Updates here for live reports; the top six and chip counts:

1. James Calderaro 2,250,000 2. Quoc Pham 1,700,000 3. Preston Harwell 1,300,000 4. Chad Eveslage 1,218,000 5. Ken Jorgensen 1,080,000 6. JC Tran 650,000

3) Survive & Advance Amazing, Great Poker Mantra

With the NCAA basketball tournament set to kick off we've naturally been scrutinizing our brackets (Iowa St, we feel you) and rewatching some of the greatest moments in college basketball history.

If you haven't seen the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Coach Jim Valvano and NC State's unbelievable run to the 1983 championship, please do so now.

Apologies in advance for the two hours that'll disappear like that but we assure you it's worth it. It might even help your grind the next time you find yourself short-stacked and on the way out the door.

Also: Clyde Drexler, OMG.



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Ivey, Esfandiari Among 23 Confirmed for $1m ONE DROP at 2014 WSOP

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The ultra high-roller tournament will play out June 29 at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and event staff are expecting to hit the new, bigger 56-player cap.

That means the first place prize will be the biggest in poker history, over $20 million.

By winning the inaugural Big One in 2012 Antonio Esfandiari took down over $18 million.

“I can’t wait to defend my title,” said Esfandiari.

“The event was life-changing, but so was my trip to El Salvador after it with the ONE DROP organization to see first hand what a difference the money raised from this event can do for those in dire need of help.”

The 2012 event raised over $5.3 million for the ONE DROP organization and with $111,111 of every buy-in going directly to the charity again this year expectations are high for that number to be even bigger.

“The inaugural event made history and I look forward to another historic moment again this June,” said event co-founder, ONE DROP Founder Guy Laliberté.

Guy Laliberte
"The support from the poker community continues to be just incredible," said Laliberte.
 

“The support from the poker community continues to be just incredible.”

The event proved popular with businessmen as well as high-stakes poker pros. Texas hedge fund manager Bill Perkins will be playing again and doesn't lack for bankroll, or confidence.

“Amazingly I lost a million dollars in this event in 2012 but still had a great time,” said Perkins.

“Little do the others know, but that was all part of a plan to set them up for this year. I’m calling my shot now. I will win the 2014 BIG ONE for ONE DROP.”

No New Additions on List of Confirmed Players

The list of names released today includes poker pros and wealthy businessmen, all of whom played in the first $1 million buy-in event.

33 names remain to be revealed meaning the poker world will have to wait to find out which new faces will compete for the biggest prize in poker history.

These are the confirmed players:

Antonio Esfandiari Guy Laliberté Bobby Baldwin David Einhorn Phil Galfond Philipp Gruissem Phil Ivey Jason Mercier Paul Newey Bill Perkins Vivek Rajkumar Brian Rast Andrew Robl Erik Seidel Brandon Steven Sam Trickett Noah Schwartz Anonymous Businessman Anonymous Businessman Anonymous Businessman Aria Resort Satellite Seat Bellagio Resort Satellite Seat World Series of Poker Satellite Seat

 



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Daily 3-Bet: Galfond Needs $1.4m, Magnus on Magnus, Mean Poker Tweets

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If you have a suggestion for a future 3-Bet piece, feel free to drop a message in the comments section below.

In today’s 3-Bet we’ll take a look at Phil Galfond making fun of his disastrous high-stakes run, chess/poker player Magnus Carlsen going AMA and poker players reading mean Tweets about themselves.

1) Phil Galfond Brushes Off Losing $1.4 Million

The last week hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond.

The high-stakes icon has been categorically stomped on Full Tilt Poker by friend/nemesis Viktor “Isildur1” Blom in PLO. Combined with other losses Galfond is down $1.4 million this week, according to highstakesdb.com.

Fortunately Galfond seems to have retained some optimism about his situation and quipped, “Not a great day back at the tables. Oh well. On the bright side at least I lost a lot of money,” on Twitter.

Even fellow high-stakes pro Tom Dwan chimed in with some advice for his friend:

"@PhilGalfond: What's the best way to make a quick $1.4m back? Asking for a friend." In macau the standard way to get even is bacarrat

— Tom Dwan (@TomDwan) March 19, 2014

In other news Gus Hansen, of all people, seems to finally be turning around his never-ending downswing with a $1.2 million win yesterday. Huzzah!

2) Chess Master Magnus Carlsen Goes AMA

Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen
 

Familiar with Magnus Carlsen? You should be.

The 23-year-old Norwegian prodigy is currently the talk of the chess world after beating Viswanathan Anand in November to become the new world champion.

Interestingly Carlsen has admitted to enjoying poker in his spare time, which can only be good for the game.

If people like Carlsen and Nate Silver started playing live tournaments every now and then it would be great for the mainstream exposure.

Anyways earlier today Carlsen did an Ask Me Anything feature on Reddit and while the answers don’t relate directly to poker he did say some interesting things about the chess lifestyle and overall strategy.

You can check out the complete feature on Reddit but here are a few choice answers (he sure sounds like a poker player):

Do you ever log into sites like chess.com, as an anonymous player, and just crush people for fun?

Magnus Carlsen: Once in a while I’ve used my friends account and won a couple of games… or a lot…

How good were you in general classes in school. Like, math, sciences, etc. I’m wondering if genius in chess translates to exceptional performances in all academics?

I think to be successful in anything, at least for me, you need to focus and spend time to get knowledge and understanding of different subjects. When I did that in school I did very well. When I spent more time on chess than on school, I did less well.

How many beers would you need to drink for a Master to be able to beat you?

There is no answer to this question… even extremely intoxicated my chess strength and knowledge is still in my bones.

3) Poker Players Reading Mean Tweets

That whole actors reading mean Tweets about themselves has come to poker!

Produced at WPT Venice with Kara Scott, Roberto Romanello and Jamie Kerstetter the video is somewhat of a mixed-bag, as the players react in real-time to the Tweets and keep cracking up.

There’s definitely some potential though and Sam Trickett’s response to a negative Tweet about him is pretty priceless.



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Schleger Chops WSOPC Main Event in LA for $151k

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The former Team PokerStars Online pro, who stepped away from the game professionally this year and made waves recently with an open admission of being a casual crack user, chopped the WSOP Circuit Main Event at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles last night for $151k.

Nipun Java took home the title inclduing the $226k first-place prize, the WSOPC ring and the seat in the WSOP National Championship.

New Podcast, New Lease on Poker

When Schleger announced in December he was leaving poker and Team PokerStars it came as a surprise to many as he was coming off his most successful year as a pro.

As Schleger described in his "goodbye" post on the PokerStars blog, he considered it "a privilege" to play poker profesionally for Stars but his recent $291k WCOOP score - the biggest of his career - was a chance to transition away from the game on a high note.

Diving headfirst into his writing and co-hosting a new podcast called Dope Stories - intended to further open and honest discussion about drug use and drug addiction in America - Schleger immediately turned a few heads with a post on Slate.com entitled "Fifteen Years of Smoking Crack."

As he explained to PokerListings in a follow-up interview, the response to the article showed how much poker and drug use are both still easily misconstrued:

Shane Schleger
New approach to poker already paying off.
 

"Writing that article, I learned that many people outside of poker still look at professional gambling as inherently corrupt or dubious way to make a living.

"To me, our profession doesn't seem much different than many other kinds of investing or banking or game-playing that are considered within the norm of society.

"Similarly, society accepts the idea of a 2-cup-of-coffee-a-day drinkers or the person who has a few glasses of wine at lunch but someone who smokes a joint with that first cup of coffee or does a line of coke after dinner isn't likely to be accepted so readily.

"I don't think it has much to do with toxicity, just the way it's viewed."

As for his future in poker, Schleger said "I think I'll play poker as a hobby, hopefully forever! I'd like to keep my game sharp and play occasionally for fun.

"I want to get back in touch with what made the game enjoyable and not 'work.' I want to fit poker into my life rather than trying to fit life around a full time poker career."

It's a formula that already seems to be paying off. Read more about Schleger's WSOPC run here; find the Dope Stories podcast here.



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JC Tran Reels in Second WPT Title in Sacramento

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Tran entered the final table as the short stack but the Sacramento-native went on a blistering heater at just the right time and smashed his way through all five of his opponents while friends and family cheered him on.

The savvy veteran earned $302,750 for outlasting 465 players and his second WPT title.

Tran earned his first WPT bracelet way back in 2007 when he actually made three final tables on the tour and earned Player of the Year honors.

Tran was also at the 2013 WSOP Main Event final table but played uncharacteristically passive and ended up finishing in fifth, despite entering play as the chip leader. He still received $2.1 million for his performance at the WSOP and combined with his win at WPT Rolling Thunder he’s now recorded $11.2 million earnings on the live tournament circuit.

Luu Finishes Fourth, Pham Takes Third

JC Tran
JC Tran at the WPT in 2007.
 

Mimi Luu ended up finishing in fourth place for $100,240 after a strong run at WPT Rolling Thunder. Tran busted her with K-J when he flopped a straight.

Another established poker player, Quoc Pham, fell to Tran in third place. Pham got all-in with 7 6 but Tran snapped him off with Q T and saw it hold up.

Tran put the finishing touch on the tournament by beating Preston Harwell heads-up. Harwell entered heads-up play with the chip lead but it didn’t matter as Tran almost immediately took control and won seven consecutive hands at one point.

Here are the complete results from the final table of WPT Rolling Thunder:

1st: JC Tran - $302,750 2nd: Preston Harwell - $200,030 3rd: Quoc Pham - $127,140 4th: Mimi Luu - $100,240 5th: Benjamin Zamani - $80,130 6th: Ken Jorgensen - $60,180 

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Daily 3-Bet: Liv Mind Freak, Bilzerian = Gates, Premier League Ep. 1

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Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop a note in the comments and we'll gladly take a look.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Liv Boeree freaking people out on a new Discovery Channel TV show, Dan Bilzerian calling himself the "Bill Gates" of poker and Episode One of the latest PartyPoker Premier League debuts.

1) Liv Boeree, Mind Control Freak

Liv Boeree
Now that I think about it, I will get you a drink Liv.
 

We know Liv Boeree has what it takes to manipulate weaker players at the poker tables. Now we'll get a chance to see how good she is at doing it in real life.

Boeree announced yesterday she's one of four protagonists on a new Discovery Channel show called "The Mind Control Freaks."

According to a release the show will "explore the inner workings and psychology of the human mind."

Wreaking havoc on people's minds along with with Liv will be magician Alexis Conran, hypnotist Lewis Le Val and sleight-of-hand pro Pete Wardell, who will "use psychological tricks and mind manipulation on the public to get them to do unexpected things."

Peer pressure, conformity and obedience to authority are some of the techniques we can look forward to seeing along with hypnosis and magic.

Ten 30-minute episodes are on tap with the first set to air in April; read more about it here.

2) Bilzerian: "I'm the Bill Gates of Poker"

Say what you will about millionaire playboy/gun freak/poker impressario Dan Bilzerian, he's never not boring.

From his T&A-and-vanity-vehicle-filled Instagram account to his bold asssertions about Phil Ivey's financial status to his vague allusions to $10m buy-in poker sessions, Bilzerian has drawn a hailstorm of media attention in 2014.

All In Magazine is the latest to take a stab at the Bilzerian phenomenon, posting an in-depth interview today that sheds some new light on the Blitz fascination.

Jay Farber Dan Bilzerian
Like Gates, but beefier.
 

Of particular interest is the part about his poker exploits, although the writer admits it's pretty hard to verify the private games Bilzerian plays in. Still, Bilzerian says he's done ok given his talent level:

"If you look at poker as a sport like baseball, for instance, then I feel like maybe a minor league or a high school ballplayer. But I play with tee-ballers, so it’s not as hard.

"If you look at poker like a business, then I would say I’m Bill Gates, because I’ve won over $50 million playing poker. Who the f— else has done that?”

Lots of other great parts to it, too; read the full piece here.

3) PartyPoker Premier League VII: Episode 1

Missed watching poker on TV? PartyPoker Premier League VII, filmed in Montreal late last year, is here to fill the void starting with Episode 1 below.

Highly enjoyable commentary from the legendary Phil Laak and Jesse May. Enjoy:



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$1.5m Up For Grabs in MicroMillions 7 This Weekend

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The 100-event series will culminate with the massive $1 million-guaranteed Main Event on Sunday where the buy-in is just $22.There are plenty of other events, however, for even smaller amounts with a $150,000-GTD $2.22+R Turbo on Saturday and a $11 buy-in $300k Sunday Storm special edition the following day.The cheapest event this weekend is Event 86 on Saturday, which is a simple NLHE event with no rebuy, and it weighs in at just $1 to enter with a $15,000 guarantee.

PokerStars Nears $5m Awarded in MicroMillions 7

Daniel Negreanu
Make like Kid Poker and win something.
 

Millions have already been awarded in MicroMillions 7 with online player andyh26 taking the biggest prize yet in Event 32, when he won $36,000 for first place.The MicroMillions 7 tournament leaderboard will also be settled this weekend with Russian Bobrovaflya currently leading with 360 points although Thailand’s Deeagie isn’t far behind with 345 points.The MicroMillions 7 leaderboard winner will receive free Sunday Million tickets for sixth months, which amounts to over $5,000 in equity.

Anyone in the top 100 receives at least one Sunday Million ticket.For more information about the PokerStars software client and bonus perks be sure to check our PokerStars review.



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Daily 3-Bet: In Praise of Limit, 3 Yrs $0m, Hellmuth Thinks

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Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop a note in the comments and we'll gladly take a look.

Today in the 3-Bet we find a wave of momentum building for more Limit Hold'em games, a second look at the glowering nerditude of poker reality series 2M 2MM and we get inside the minds of several big-name pros including Phil Hellmuth.

1) Limit Poker is Fun for Everyone

It might seem hard to believe but 10 years ago, Bryan Devonshire says, it was hard to find No-Limit Hold'em games. Moneymaker's WSOP title was certainly starting to change things but, more or less, Limit Hold'em was still the order of the day.

Bryan Devonshire
Nothing like Limit games.
 

For good reason, Devonshire writes in his latest column. It's harder to go bust. You get more value for your play. And, importantly, the game is fun.

Without the pressure of playing for stacks players can unwind and socialize. Seems like a small thing but it looms large now aswe look for new ways to bring/keep amateur money in the game.

Noted poker icons including Nolan Dalla have recently come out in praise of Limit Hold'em and Devonshire adds his stamp of approval:

"...for places with state-mandated caps on betting such as Arizona, Colorado and Minnesota, limit remains king. This makes me happy as a player, since limit games are so much more fun.

"I get to play more hands, see more turns and rivers, and make more decisions. I get to raise like I have three arms and not worry about somebody shoving their pile on me. The game is fun.

"The game remains good for a long time. People don’t go broke and thus keep coming back. Variance is much higher, but variance is exactly what losing players need to book winning sessions and thus exactly what professionals need to have a good game."

Check his full column plus a few Limit Hold'em tips on the Press of Atlantic City here.

2) 2M 2MM in a New Light?

As we creep up on the three-year anniversary of Black Friday and at least some of the money pilfered from American customers has been returned, it's hard not to look back at the last few years with a slightly different view.

It's definitely been a struggle for many former online professionals to adjust their lives to the shocking pull of the poker ATM plug but, when all things are said and done, it might turn out to be a good thing for many the money stopped flowing so freely.

Looking back on the culture of young online millionaires celebrated by shows like 2M 2MM it's hard not to see a bit more menace there than it seemed at the time.

Seemed kinda funny, sure, but even the four protagonists might look back on it with a bit of regret now:

3) White Magic White Magic White Magic

Want to know what goes through the minds of the game's best players at the tables?

We found out at the 2013 WSOP APAC with help from Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Greg Merson and the at-the-time-much-more-elusive Phil Ivey:



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Party Poker NJ Reloads Massive $100k Sunday Major

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Party Poker is reloading its massive $100,000-GTD Sunday tournament in New Jersey for March 30.

The poker site started the month with its first $100k-GTD event on March 2 and the results were spectacular.

A total of 786 players paid the $200 buy-in to create a record-setting prize pool of $145,000 in New Jersey.

First place on the March 2 event ended up being $26k, which was the most ever awarded by a regulated, fully-licensed poker site in the United States.

Marvin Rettenmaier
Party Poker's Marvin Rettenmaier
 

The March 30 tournament will be identical with legitimate shot at cracking the 1,000-player mark.

Party Also Set to Host $600k-GTD NJCOP

It’s going to be a busy couple of months for Party Poker in NJ, and also sister site BorgataPoker, as the inaugural New Jersey Championship of Online Poker begins April 19.

Due to rising popularity the event already has been expanded from 10 to 15 events and will include a potentially record-breaking $200,000-GTD Main Event.

The NJCOP will carry an impressive $600,000 guarantee spread over the entire series.

Keep checking PokerListings for information on the burgeoning New Jersey online poker scene.



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Gus Hansen: "I Probably Have the Worst Game Selection in the World"

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Deep in the throes of a $17m downswing online, moments of respite on and off the felt - including non-poker things like opening a new squash center in Copenhagen last week - have been few and far between.

A signs-of-life upswing last week was met by a return to the doldrums over the weekend and, according to Hansen, the stress of it all is beginning to take its toll - even on a gambler like himself.

As he told PokerListings on Day 1a of EPT Vienna yesterday, if things don't turn around soon it may mean the beginning of a big change to his poker life.

PokerListings: Which national football team are you rooting for this summer, who do you think will win the World Cup?

Gus Hansen: I will root for the team I’m betting on.

PL: Which is?

GH: Good question, as I haven’t made a bet yet. I guess Brazil has the home advantage, so they will be tough to beat, even if they are not as good as some of the other squads.

GusHansen7
"I don’t know much about Holdem Manager and Poker Tracker, but it looks like I should learn more."
 

I think the Spanish players are starting to get old, although they are still one of the best teams. And Germany might have enough fire power to go deep. With Bayern Munich, they now probably have the best team in the world, and obviously there are some German players on that team.

PL: Do you use tracking software when you play online?

GH: No, but it seems like I should. I don’t know much about Holdem Manager and Poker Tracker, but it looks like I should learn more.

PL: What’s your opinion on the shot clock for tournaments? How much time should you have?

GH: All in all, I think it is good. I played the high roller event in Prague, where we had a shot clock, and there was one guy at the table who would stall the game at every single decision pre-flop. Literally every decision.

This seemed to rub off on the other players, so they played slower, too. It was very frustrating.

Usually, I would never call the clock on someone who has to make a big decision. If you bet on the river, and I check-raise big, I don’t mind if you take 20 minutes to make a decision that can cost you your life.

But if you do it all the time, it’s bad for the game. The shot clock would speed up the game, which would be good for the action, good for TV.

Back in the days when I played a lot of Backgammon, we used to play with a shot clock, too.

I think you should have about 30 to 60 seconds, whichever the organizers decide. But when there is a set time, you should stick with it. There should be no extra buttons and time-outs and so on. That would only make things more complicated.

PL: Playing high-stakes takes extreme mental strength, especially when things are going badly. Tell us what the experience has been like over the last while and how you're able to stay positive and keep playing.

GH: Well, right now, I’m not very fucking positive, I can tell you that! I mean, I had another big losing session last night, so I need sleep and exercise.

Actually, I’ve been on a long losing streak, so I have to look away from the results and look at how I’m handling myself and how I play. I have to dig deep and find a way to get back on top of things.

This might include even a longer break from poker just to clear my head.

Gus Hansen
"I probably have just about the worst game selection in the world."
 

PL: You told us in an interview in Galway you were second-guessing yourself and your game a bit more. Is that still the case/even more now?

GH: I’m definitely second guessing myself. I had a very successful week only one week ago, followed by a really bad week.

I need to find a way to figure out whether second guessing is actually part of the problem or not. I definitely need to take action.

PL: A lot of people are saying your biggest obstacle is clearly game selection. You’re a great player but your willingness to sit with anyone at almost any game is killing you. Agree or disagree?

GH: I probably have just about the worst game selection in the world.

PL: We literally can’t imagine a poker world without you. Is that even a possibility? If you continue to lose, can you see yourself quitting?

GH: I can see that happening, but I’ve always been a gambler. It’s hard to imagine that I wouldn’t be around at all in the poker scene anymore, but I could definitely be there to a lesser degree than I am right now.

PL: Jean-Phillipe Rohr told us in an interview you won $2.5 million playing high-stakes backgammon at the EPT Grand Final a few years ago. In fact the games were so good you missed the second day of the high roller tournament for it. Are backgammon games really that big/high? Is that where a lot of income comes from?

GH: At that Grand Final there was indeed a high-stakes backgammon game, and yes, they are still around. At the time I was winning a seven-figure sum, then lost back a seven-figure sum.

I’m definitely trying, but the problem is that at some point I can’t compensate for my losses anymore. And also there are not too many people who can afford to play for so much money.

PL: Dwan has left the Professionals. Do you have a favorite for a replacement?

GH: Right now, some of the Germans would spring to mind. There are quite a few very good ones around. I think their attitude and their professionalism would make a nice counterpoint to the more crazy guys like Isildur and me.

PL: What are your thoughts on the state of poker/future of poker? Are games unbeatable? Is Macau the only place to play to still have an edge?

GH: Obviously, it is still possible. You just have to be better than the others at your table. Of course, people have been getting better and better. This is not 2003 anymore, and it sure isn’t 1995.

PL: Do you have to go to Macau nowadays to have an edge?

Gus Hansen
"This is not 2003 anymore, and it sure isn’t 1995."
 

GH: I have been doing well in Macau, which definitely doesn’t hurt. I have been there a couple of times in the recent past, but I don’t plan on going in the near future. I’ll be at the EPT Grand Final and then the World Series of Poker.

In Macau, poker can be like everywhere else, but there are also games where you have to get invited. It was like that when I first played there. They have some different rules in Macau, but I’m fine with that.

For example a couple of years back, me and Sammy Farha wanted to play heads-up in Vegas but the casinos didn’t allow it because it’s a ring game. In Macau, if you and me play heads-up, and someone wants to join, he can only do that if we want him to.

That, by the way, is the way it works in Backgammon, too. We’ve had some crazy straddle games in Macau, with pots of a couple of million US dollars, and I haven’t even played in the highest games.

PL: Do you know how high they play?

GH: No.

PL: Do you think you have a shot at making the list of the 50 Sexiest Men Alive again?

GH: No! I’m definitely not getting younger, and to come even close I would have to change a couple of things. First of all, get back in shape.



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Rant: Too Many Americans, Not Enough Players and No Alex Dreyfus?

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I’m glad that I wasn’t one of the 60 industry experts chosen to cast their votes in the BLUFF Power 20 because in all honesty I don’t think I would have been able to even choose 10 of them.

It’s just not my bag. My tiny brain cannot compute the magnitude of the poker universe. That’s why I’m not an expert.

But there is one thing for sure. It would have included the owner of the Global Poker Index (GPI) and The Hendon Mob, Alexandre Dreyfus.

The Poker World Still Functions Outside the U.S.

EPT abayabay!
When the guillotine fell on US, Euro poker thrived.
 

From what I can gather the instructions handed down to the 60 industry insiders are short and sweet:

“Vote for the 20 most powerful people in poker in order #1 to #20 based on how you define powerful.”

When you look at the list several things stand out. Actually, that’s not true … one thing stands out. The home of the free and the land of the brave.

Yes the country that is so self important that it creates sporting events with the word ‘world’ in the title and then doesn’t invite any teams from any other country absolutely dominates the rankings.

The rankings were swayed by the opinion that the most important component to the future growth of poker is the inclusion of an online poker industry in the United States of America.

Freeman, Loveman, Garber, Breitling, Mattingley, Burnett, Lesniak, Rebuck, Garber and co. were probably selected for many reasons but the re-introduction of online poker to the States must have been at the forefront of the industry insiders' minds.

But the poker world still functions outside of the United States, thank you. When the guillotine fell on the neck of stateside online poker we still managed to survive.

No Coincidence GPI Rankings in LA Times

Vanessa Selbst
Selbst power looms large.
 

Talking to Sam Trickett at WPT Venice he told me that he would much prefer to win a European Poker Tour (EPT) event than a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet because they have become more prestigious.

The fields are huge, the talent is incredible and the money floating around is more than enough to keep our poker economy afloat.

And underpinning this poker world of ours is the Global Poker Index (GPI). The ranking system that defines our stars and fluffs up their egos whilst doing a vitally important job of promoting poker throughout the world.

The creation of Fantasy Poker Manager, and the way the GPI is set up, touches everything people know and understand about sport.

It’s no coincidence that the GPI rankings were squeezed into the sports pages alongside the NBA, NHL and NFL leagues in the Los Angeles Times during my recent visit.

That’s the hard work of Dreyfus. The man who is set up to take over the world of poker from a reporting and distribution sense.

It won’t be long before every player in the world has his or her own unique identification number and every live and online tournament in the world is fed through the GPI mincer.

So how is that not powerful?

Why No Selbst, Galfond or Gruissem?

Philipp Gruissem2013 WSOP EuropeEV0725K NLH High RollerFinal TableGiron8JG3105
What about the work Phil Gruiisem is doing?
 

Is it because he is European?

Do we have the same issue going on with the BLUFF 20 Power list as we do with the Poker Hall of Fame? A voting system that seems to be heavily dominated by the opinions of Americans?

And why do we only have one player on that list? Aren’t our players powerful? Why isn’t Vanessa Selbst on that list?

Female poker players represent a huge market for the industry and Selbst’s continued success, behavior and forthright opinions are like a homing beacon for our industry.

She is one of the most talented poker players to ever grace our game and she is the flag bearer for a million women who don’t have the courage to sit down at the table and compete with the Neanderthals amongst us.

And then you have Phil Galfond. Where is Phil Galfond?

Has anybody not noticed that when Galfond writes a blog entry to express his opinion on the state of poker that the world stops spinning on its axis?

Phil Galfond
Who are these insiders, anyway?
 

And what about the work that Philipp Gruissem is doing over in Uganda where he is giving his poker winnings to young African children who have worms in their stomachs the length of motorway systems?

In a game that is tarnished week-in-week-out by the cheats of the game how powerful is it to learn that we have people like Gruissem willing to give it all away?

Who are These 60 Industry Insiders Anyway?

Perhaps it’s a little early for Gruissem to make a charge but my point remains that our player base still remains powerful and they have a role to play alongside the politicians, head honchos and rule makers of the online poker construct in the heart of the US of A.

And who were these 60 industry insiders anyway? Why is the list kept hidden from our eyes?

Is it because the poker world will see that the list is primarily made up of Americans all voting for people who have influence over the American system?

Let us take a look at the names. Don't be shy.

I am starving and could do with a large slice of humble pie.



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Daily 3-Bet: The End of Gus, Pius Has Hearth, Bilzerian Lampoon

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Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop a note in the comments and we'll gladly take a look.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Gus Hansen speculating on the beginning of the end of his poker life, Pius Heinz with Hearthstone on the brain at EPT Vienna and Dan Bilzerian re-imagined as Clark W. Griswold.

1) Gus Hansen: "Right Now, I’m Not Very Fucking Positive"

A poker world without Gus Hansen? Is it something we can even wrap our heads around? Is it even possible? Is it inevitable?

Gus Hansen
Hold on for one more day, Gus.
 

In case you missed it earlier today we sat down with Gus Hansen at EPT Vienna yesterday and what he said has our minds reeling.

We know a $17m downswing is gonna be hard for anyone to recover from but somehow, someway, we thought Gus was invincible. Maybe not, it turns out. Some of the things on Gus' mind:

"I’ve been on a long losing streak, so I have to look away from the results and look at how I’m handling myself and how I play." "This might include even a longer break from poker just to clear my head." "I probably have just about the worst game selection in the world." "It’s hard to imagine that I wouldn’t be around at all in the poker scene anymore, but I could definitely be there to a lesser degree than I am right now."

Hang on, Gus. Hang on. Things will turn around. Read the interview in full right here.

2) Pius has Hearthstone Grind on the Mind

Think the new strategy/card game Hearthstone isn't addicting?

Even former poker World Champions can't resist dusting off stacks to get back to it:

Decided to lose #eptvienna quickly so i can get back on the heartstone grind. #priorities @MikeMcDonald89

— Pius Heinz (@MastaP89) March 24, 2014

3) Dan Bilzerian, Most Interesting Man on Instagram?

Is famed poker playboy Dan Bilzerian really the Most Interesting Man on Instagram, as Buzzfeed declared this weekend? That depends on how much you value guns, fake boobs, cars and money. (We're still going to go with "probably not.")

Is being painted as Clark W. Griswold in a National Lampoon's Vacation poster spoof the greatest honor a man can have in life, though? Quite possibly.

bilzerianpainting

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Game On! WSOP.com Joins Forces with NY Rangers

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The WSOP is now the New York Ranger’s official gaming partner and is giving players a shot at four exclusive grand prizes worth over $15,000 total. 

Any poker player who signs up for WSOP.com in New Jersey with the deposit code: NYRANGERS gains access to the promo.

It’s simply a sweepstakes so players don’t have to worry about doing anything else after they deposit. They can just concentrate on playing poker.

NY Ranger Jerseys, Tickets and More Up for Grabs

NHL Charity Shootout
The NHL charity shootout at the WSOP in 2009.
 

The name of the contest is the Ultimate Hockey House Party on WSOP.com.

The grand prizes include:

A visit from a former New York Ranger great. Tickets to rangers games. Autographed Rangers jerseys.

The winners will be announced sometime after April 5 so make sure you get your deposit in early if you’re a Rangers’ fan.

It’s not the first time this year an online poker site has teamed up with an NHL franchise. Party Poker partnered with the NJ Devils to offer exclusive contests for tickets.



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EPT Vienna Day 1A/1B: Bits from Behind the Scenes

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From the perpetual motion of the staff to the action-packed side events to the stunning location in the heart of the city Season 10's EPT Vienna stop has already been a memorable one.

Our European reporting team has been right in the middle of it and noted a few of the lesser-known moments you might find interesting.

For a full replay of feature-table action from Day 1b today, check the live stream replay. Tune in for Day 2 tomorrow at 12:00 CET.

Bits and Pieces from EPT Vienna Days 1A/!B

- It costs about 60,000 Euro to rent the tournament area in the Hofburg Palace – per day.

- 35 cash-game tables are running with games of NLHE and PLO 2/5 up to 20/40; 25/50 and 50/100 announced for the coming days

zoltan gal photo psblog
Zoltan Gal, Eureka Poker Tour Main Event winner. (Photo: PokerStars blog)
 

- The OSCE is situated in the Hofburg. They are holding talks about the Crimea crisis right now.

- Michael Eiler, defending champion, played Day 1A and ended with 7700 chips.

- The first official Chinese poker table is in play at EPT Vienna.

- Zoltan Gal from Hungary won the Eureka Main Event on Sunday. He was also the one who suggested a deal heads-up. Chips were: Gal 17.1 million, Freund 11.3 million. Deal was made with €10.000 left for the winner. Gal came 19th at the last Eureka event and 22nd at the last IPT. Last hand Th Td vs 8D 8h pre-flop all-in; Board 6c 7s 7d Kh 6h. The last hand was the fifth hand after the deal.

- Gal decided to celebrate with a “steak dinner”

Turnierleitung
Not one of two cats, but employed nonetheless.
 

- Floor Decision of Day 1A (with tournament director Thomas Lamatsch): Question: A Player gets a one orbit penalty, stands up and goes to the bathroom. After the next hand, the table breaks. How do you make sure he’s treated correctly? Answer: A dealer waits for him with the chips and the new table card. When he comes back, the dealer takes him to the new table and makes sure he sits out. Q: What if the player gets a new seat number and misses the blinds twice? Answer: Tough luck, he should have behaved himself.

- There are 125 dealers and 30 additional poker staff working at EPT Vienna. The poker area covers 1500m2. There are about 70 people working in service; the number of security personnel is classified

- On the “Heldenplatz” (heroes' square) in front of the Hofburg, Hitler announced the annexing of Austria in 1938. He was greeted by tens of thousands of people. (After 1945 it turned out they had all been resistance fighters…)

- The number of players in the main event has now reached almost 900, making it one of the biggest EPTs so far. The smallest event for now is the €500 PL 7 Card Stud event with just 35 players. Minimum for a tournament to start is three players.

- The Eureka high roller event was stopped last night with two players left (Eugene Katchalov, Niki Jedlicka). They will play the heads-up final tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 8.30 PM. They will split €277.000.

- The Hofburg has its own wine brand.

ViktorBlomEPTVienna
Blom is in the building (and on to Day 2).
 

- Nathalie Hof won the Ladies event (€5325) and thus scored the third win for German players out of seven side events. The other winners were Tamel Kamel (GB), Michael Vojtisek (Czech Republic), Makram Saber (Lebanon), and Brendan Keenan (Ireland)

- Late registration for the Main Event ends tomorrow at 12 AM, at the very beginning of Day 2.

- The Hofburg officially has two cats employed. They were kicked out a while ago to save money (how much did they earn?), but brought back in when mice and rats threatened to take over the palace.

- Floor Decision of Day 1B (with Junior Floor Gaby Sanejstra): A player raises from middle position, it is folded to the big Blind. Dealer overlooks the Big Blind and mucks the raiser's hand. Big Blind calls the floor. Decision: Split pot. the Big blind does not have a chance to announce a move. The initial raiser's hand is in the muck, but he did not violate the rule to protect his hand. The dealer's duty to check if the hand is over comes first.

- Last (unofficial) numbers: 559 players on Day 1B, 317 survivors, total number: 890 players



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Faraz Jaka Eyes First WPT Title in Jacksonville

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Unfortunately for Jaka he enters the final table second-to-last in chips with 542,000 and some established poker pros ahead of him.

Local Nabil Hirezi has the chip lead with 2.7 million. Famed Floridian pro James Calderaro is second with 1.9 million and also looking to finally snag his first WPT title.

Meanwhile Jordan Cristos, who is fourth in chips with 975,000, is looking to win his second WPT title after taking down WPT Legends in LA last August for $613,355.

Jaka Has $4m in Lifetime Earnings, Still Seeking Major Title

Faraz Jaka
Time to close it out?
 

Jaka has racked up $4 million in tournament earnings over the span of his poker career thanks to his unique super-aggressive style but a major title has eluded him thus far. 

The San Jose-native had a huge score at the PCA, where he finished third for $755k in 2012 and a monster year on the WPT in 2009 when he finished second and third in two separate events.

The WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open final table commences at 2 p.m. ET today and will play down to a winner. You can follow along live with the WPT live updates.

Here’s a look at the chip counts heading into the final table:

1. Nabil Hirezi  -  2,792,000  (139 bb) 2. James Calderaro  -  1,916,000  (95 bb) 3. Peter Le  -  1,083,000  (54 bb) 4.  Jordan Cristos  -  975,000  (48 bb) 5.  Faraz Jaka  -  542,000  (27 bb) 6.  Brian Green  -  444,000  (22 bb)

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Daily 3-Bet: Merson Cash Splash, Action Bowling, Spot the Liar

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Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop a note in the comments and we'll gladly take a look.

Today in the 3-Bet we find former WSOP Main Event champ Greg Merson finally getting his chops into a substantial cash game, revisit the glory days of high-stakes "action" bowling and test your ability to spot the liar.

1) Merson Splashes Around on Poker Night

You'd think, with an $8m+ WSOP Main Event title to your credit, opportunities to get in on some televised high-stakes cash games would be a relatively easy task.

0039 Gavin Smith
Ole G. Smith: Big personality should make for good TV.
 

Not so for Greg Merson, unfortunately, who won his title in the TV poker vacuum of Black Friday.

Merson's even famously been shut out of some big non-televised live games in both Vegas and Macau, so he's been excited the last couple of days, he tells PressboxOnline, to finally be able to put some big cash down on a poker table and play a few hands.

The Poker Night in America crew rolled into the Maryland Live! casino over the past couple of days and local Merson was one of the lucky few offered a shot at putting up $5k-$20k for some old school, high-entertainment poker.

"I was really happy that they asked me," Merson said. "With the drop-off in high-stakes cash games on TV, I haven't been able to show off my skills in that type of game. It's nice to be able to splash around a lot."

The Maryland Live! stop is the fourth so far for Poker Night, which hopes to begin airing shows on a network this Spring. Other players invited this time around included Gavin Smith, Steve Dannenmann, Jason Somerville, Matt Glantz and Christian Harder.

More on the filming here. Updates on Poker Night's TV deals here.

2) Even Bowlers Look for Fish

Think poker is going through a tough phase right now? Try being a professional bowler. Or an old school "action bowler," who apparently made a pretty nice living hustling the public and private bowling lanes of the 60s and 70s.

For those who grew up in the 80s it might be hard to believe bowlers were the biggest sport stars going at one point, but according to "The Rise and Fall of Professional Bowling" on Priceonomics.com, that was definitely the case.

So much so in fact that Harry Smith, the top bowler in 1963, made more than the MLB MVP and NFL MVP combined. No, really. And, like any business where the cash is flowing, the hustlers moved in:

bowling
Could be worse - you could be a bowler.
 

"In New York from the 1940s to the 1970s, there also existed a lucrative underbelly to the sport called “action bowling.” Working-class Italians from Boroughs across the city would frequent bowling alleys and challenge each other to matches for money.

"Events would often start at midnight and go until 7AM. Action bowling legend Mike Limongello explains exactly what this entailed:

“'We would all go out late at night -- every night of the week there was someplace to go -- and the action would start right after the leagues were over. Everyone would match up and bowl for money -- and there was a lot of street money in those days.'”

Ah that sweet, sweet, bowling street money. It's a great piece; read it here.

3) Think You're Good at Spotting Tells?

Sniffing out bluffs is an essential skill for any poker player. But how good do you really think you are at spotting people not telling the truth?

Take this NY Times interactive quiz and see if you can tell the difference:

Screen shot 2014 03 25 at 11.41.39 AM

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Hirezi Takes WPT Jacksonville, Jaka Out First

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Jaka, who is still seeking his first major poker title despite $4 million in earnings, was the first player be eliminated yesterday.

The San Jose-native entered the final table second-to-last in chips so it wasn’t a complete surprise he busted early but he did take a sick beat when he ran pocket kings into Peter Le’s pocket aces.

Jaka picked up $38,241 for coming in sixth place in the tournament.

Calderaro Comes Close but Can't Clinch Victory

James Calderaro
James Calderaro falls just short.
 

Jordan Cristos, who won WPT Legends last August, was the next player to be eliminated as he ran into a rivered Hirezi straight.

After Cristos was eliminated it was pretty much the Hirezi and James Calderaro show as both players were responsible for most of the eliminations.

Eventually Hirezi entered heads-up play as the slight dog with 3.6 million chips to Calderaro’s 4 million.

Hirezi grinded his way back to the chip leader over the span of 50 hands and then finished the tournament in emphatic fashion.

Calderaro called all-in for his tournament life with A K against Hirezi’s T T.

The board was a roller coaster as it ran out K 6 5 Q T. Hirezi spiked a one-outer on the river to win the tournament. Hirezi received $206k for taking it down.

Here are the complete final table results:

1st: Nabil Hirezi - $206,041 2nd: James Calderaro - $133,764 3rd: Brian Green - $86,043 4th: Peter Le - $63,682 5th: Jordan Cristos - $47,802 6th: Faraz Jaka - $38,241

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Daily 3-Bet: Good vs. Great, Vienna Flipout, The Kravchenko Phase

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Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop a note in the comments and we'll gladly take a look.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Jason Mercier (by way of B.C) explaining the difference between good poker players and great poker players, Full Tilt Poker's new Flipout format creating some buzz in Vienna and poker's post-bubble phase getting a re-brand.

1) Great Poker Players Don't Need Jobs

H/t to PokerStars pro Jason Mercier for finding this illuminating and perspective-reminding gem from the comic B.C.:

BCcomicgoodgreat

Right, back to work then ...

2) Full Tilt Flipouts Big Hit in Vienna

Full Tilt Poker's new "Flipout" tournament format was unveiled last week and by all accounts is making a pretty big splash so far. In case you missed it: The basic twist is players at each table "flip" for their lives on the first hand of the tournament.

Those who make it through immediately make the money and then play out the tournament as if it's any other regular tournament. Pretty sweet format if you're tight on time and like a bit of gamble; not such a great format if you're terrible at flips (we're amazing at them so it works for us).

Getting the poker world a little more comfortable with the concept Full Tilt ran a few "live" Flipouts over the first couple of days at EPT Vienna this week.

The response, even from seasoned pros with an edge like David Vamplew and Dermot Blain, seemed to be Flipouts were a grand old time. Check the video below:

3) You Are Now Entering the Kravchenko Phase

Alexander Kravchenko
If I'm not final-tabling this thing, I'm out of here.
 

Feel like the "post-bubble" phase of a poker tournament - where the field goes from just into the money to the final 27 or so really in contention - needs a name?

The crew at the PokerStars blog, who see this stage on a pretty regular basis, felt the same way and came up with a variety of hilarious suggestions.

Among the contenders we enjoy:

The "move along" hour The grey period The "hotel reservation extension" hour

But by far our favorite - and, for the record, the soon-to-be-name of our newly formed prog-rock band:

The Alex Kravchenko phase, named for the barnacle-esque pro of said moniker known for busting out primarily in this segment of the tournament.

Wp, PokerStars blog, wp. Read the full list of suggestions here.



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