At his peak, David Beckham was the richest sportsperson of his era.

The Manchester United/Real Madrid/England star was the icon for millions of people of all ages - a truly global star.

Can you imagine Beckham turning up for training, drinking a can of Red Bull, a razor in one hand, and a rusty can of shaving foam in the other?

Do you think he had football genes enabling him to turn up and play - no training, no advanced learning, no need to reach peak fitness, no dietary considerations, no brand awareness, no business acumen -  and he was that good?

So why do so many poker players think they can sit down in the local library, read a few poker books by Dan Harrington and hey, presto!?

No Room for Troubled Joints

There has been a shift in power within the higher echelon of poker; gradual, but it's there. To win millions today you need to be a well-oiled machine. There is no room for frozen joints and troubled minds.

It's time the casinos began erecting signs of poker boom players in wheelchairs leading to the exit.

The education of the new breed is different. Sure, they work on the technical aspects of their game, harder than anyone else. But they find their edge in the work they do away from the tables.

The hard work is in the smoothie ingredients, the posture of the downward-facing dog and the 40-minutes of daily transcendental meditation.

They have Silicon Valley savvy, they draw business plans on the blackboard using the finest chalk and they exist in the most fulfilling, loving and spiritual relationships.

If you want to join them, here are 24 books that will help get you there.

1. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield hammers home his points with a minimum of fuss. You will finish the book during your morning poo.

The War of Art is a tale about resistance and how it constantly tries to cripple us. Poker is art and resistance is everywhere in poker. 

Also try Turning Pro and Do The Work. 

2. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

At times this book can feel morally incomprehensible. But it’s perfect for the cutthroat world of poker.

Law #3 Conceal Your Intentions.

Law #4 Always Say Less Than Necessary.

Law #5 So Much Depends on Reputation - Guard it With Your Life.

Get the picture?

3. Deep Work by Cal Newport

Knowledge is power in poker but how you accrue knowledge is critical. Don't lie in bed watching RunItOnce training videos until you fall asleep.

Focus on one thing and devote 100% of your attention. Distractions are a hum that will reverberate around your life until something cracks.  

4. Meaningful by Bernadette Jiwa

If you want to be a professional poker player you need to learn about marketing and branding. If you don't want to be a pro but you want to sell some action, or get backing, you still need to learn about marketing and branding.

Bernadette Jiwa is a genius in both areas. Also try: Marketing: a Love Story, Difference and Hunch. 

5. It’s Not What You Sell It’s What You Stand For by Roy M. Spence

Here is another fantastic book on marketing and branding. Roy M. Spence shares his personal experience working with some of the world’s most profitable businesses during his time at the ad agency GSD&M.

Learn how the very best cultivate the right brand story and create your own.

6. Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs and Wear Cows by Melanie Joy

This book is designed to get you to see that eating meat is an invisible, violent and dominant belief system called Carnism. It makes this list - not for that purpose - but for the way it teaches you to look at the world more philosophically.

Thinking about the way the world works is a skill that is often overlooked by poker players and yet all the top poker players have this skill. Also, try watching Okja on Netflix. 

7. Doing Good Better by William MacAskill

Poker has become one of the most charitable sports in the world. In recent years, Raising For Effective Giving (REG) has made it cool for young poker players to donate to effective charities.

If you want to know why people like Martin Jacobson donated over a quarter of a million dollars to charity, let the founder of Effective Altruism tell you all about it. 

8. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

The poker world is full of vices. Addiction lies not only within the core structure of the game but on the periphery in the form of drugs, alcohol, and expensive food bills.

Learn to understand why we do the things we do so that you can make a more informed decision next time.

9. Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance

Elon Musk comes across as a right dick. But deep down, his empathy is so far beyond what we can comprehend; it's invisible to us.

He is a man making billions of dollars so he can change the world in ways people haven't even considered. Poker players looking for greater meaning in life can learn a great deal by using Elon Musk as their poster boy.

10. An Astronauts Guide to Life by Chris Hadfield

There are two reasons why this book is perfect for poker players. The first was Chris Hadfield's desire to be an astronaut at a time when no Canadian had ever been in space and then making that dream come true.

The second reason is Hadfield's continual preparation and management of risk. When you are living millimetres from death, you always have to figure out what can go wrong and how to adapt. This should be one of poker's 10 Commandments.

11. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns

Even those amongst us who have won 14 WSOP gold bracelets can feel a little depressed or unworthy from time to time. The pressure gets to us and, the next thing you know, you're calling cage fighters moronic motherfuckers.

David D. Burns is the Gandalf of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and this book is a brilliant way to diagnose and fix a variety of different mental disorders that will prevent you from reaching your true potential.

12. The Path of Least Resistance by Robert Fritz

What are your Primary and Secondary choices in life and how do you make them? Have you made a Fundamental choice in life; and if so, in what direction will it take you?

Robert Fritz teaches you that The Path of Least Resistance is the one containing the most footprints but it's not the one that you want to be taking.

13. E3 by Pam Grout

Pam Grout's thought experiments are both fun and insightful. Think of the number ‘222' and it shall appear.

Do you want to see rabbits? You'll see them everywhere?

Based on the theory of the Law of Attraction this book is less hocus pocus and more about the power of positive mind and visualizing what it is you want in your life; WSOP bracelet, anyone?

Also try E2.

14. Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal

You should give this book to every person who doubts that you can make a difference in the world by playing poker.

Jane McGonigal is a gaming expert who believes that games have the power to change the world. As a poker player, you will learn a great deal about how you can add deeper meaning to the time you spend on the felt.

Also try SuperBetter.

15. Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management by Kevin Kruse

Who doesn't need a little help organizing life? Poker players need to play, study and spend time with those they love.

Kevin Kruse asks the billionaires, Olympic athletes, top-grade students and some of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world for their productivity tips. The only problem is where to start implementing all the strategy.

16. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

If you aren't religious, then this book may be a little difficult to stomach, but stomach it. If you can push aside the religious tone of the book and focus on Rick Warren’s message, there is some great advice on how to find meaning & purpose in life.

As a poker player, whose sole purpose is taking money from people, it will help.

17. The Here And Now Habit by Hugh G. Byrne

Fedor Holz didn’t create Primed Mind because he was bored. Holz believes that the edges in the game now come from places other than the game and mindset is on top of that list.

The Here and Now Habit is the perfect portrayal of mindfulness and how you can implement it into your life to help reduce stress, anxiety and tilt.

18. The Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr Sandra Cabot

Playing poker is a dangerous pursuit if you don’t look after yourself. Casinos aren’t renowned for the best haute cuisine in the world and even Jake Cody lives on Pot Noodles when in the midst of a Sunday online grind.

The Liver Cleansing Diet teaches you the importance of maintaining a tip-top liver and you will also lose a lot of weight in the process.

19. Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

Money is fuel and you can't play poker without it. You need solid bankroll management skills to become a great poker player and why this book stands out is because of the way it uses your time as a financial metric.

How many hours of your life are you willing to sacrifice playing poker, learning about poker and talking about poker? This book hits home the importance of prioritizing how you spend money.

20. It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden

Paul Arden's classic is another one of those books that you can finish during a trip to the loo. It's short, sharp and concise. It's witty and thought provoking. 

If you want to persuade people to buy something from you - whether that's a bluff, pieces of action, or your brand - then this book is a delight.

21. Results by Jamie Smart

Every poker player has blamed external forces for their failures in the game. The deck, the idiotic fish who can't play, or the stupid dealer.

Jamie Smart is a student of Sydney Banks and the Three Principles of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought. It's a perfect book for a poker player looking to find clarity through all the noise.

Results help you realize that all of your feelings come from thought in the moment, a powerful lesson for a poker player. Also try Clarity. 

22. People Skills by Robert Bolton

How often do you see someone selling communications training for poker players? And yet, isn’t that what the game is all about?

Robert Bolton helps you to communicate with people both verbally and non-verbally better than anyone, in particular, his advice on how to manage conflict. 

23. If The Buddha Married by Charlotte Kasl

Poker can be a very time-intensive pursuit that doesn't leave you much time for the special loved one in your life.

If you find that time at the tables, or financial difficulties, is having an adverse impact on your relationships, Charlotte Kasl's book is a great way for you to resolve your issues.

24. Tribes by Seth Godin

All great poker players will confirm that the most exceptional education in poker is talking shop with other great poker players. But how do you do this? Where are they? Why would they listen?

Fedor Holz became one of the greatest players of his generation because of the support of his tribe. Martin Jacobson won the 2014 WSOP Main Event because of the support of his tribe.

You are already a part of a tribe. You are a poker player. Learn how to cultivate and create more intimate tribes through this fantastic book.

------------

Now it’s your turn. What non-poker book would you recommend?

We’re still in the inaugural season of the new PokerStars Championships and, after a break for the WSOP, the series resumes this month with its first stop in Barcelona.

Alongside Prague, the metropolitan city of Catalonia has long been the largest and most successful stop of the PokerStars live tours in Europe.

This year will continue that tradition as PokerStars is coming back with a fully-packed schedule.

Forty-one events will be played out over 13 days with multiple low buy-in events, a €50k Super High Roller, online satellites, a live concert w/ electro superstar Zedd and plenty of beach fun.

Major Events at PSC Barcelona 2017

The buy-in range of the events in Barcelona will be from €120 to €50,000 so there's something for all bankrolls.

Mark the following dates for the events that will draw the most attention and the largest prize pools.

On the lower end of the range you’ll find plenty of events, too.

PokerStars is guaranteeing €7 million for the main event but looking at the numbers for past years that should be easily broken.

In 2016, the last EPT Barcelona main event had 1,785 players. In 2015 there were 1,694 and in 2014 the main event attracted 1,496 players.

Each of these fields surpassed the €7 million mark by some margin.

Qualify Online for the Main Event

PokerStars is hosting a ton of online satellites for the PSC Barcelona main event. You can find them in the PokerStars lobby under Events > Live > PSC Barcelona.

The satellites can get you just a seat to the main event or a complete package that includes 5-star accommodation and travel expenses. 

Playing in the direct satellites costs you €320 but you can qualify for much less as sub-satellites start at €3.30.

Several hundred players have already qualified, a few of which got particularly lucky and won their tickets through a quick and intense Spin-and-Go. The last satellites run next Sunday so if you want to give it a shot you better hurry up and start playing.

There will also be live events on location in case you didn’t make it in time online.

Zedd On Stage

In the recent past PokerStars has signed and/or invited a whole range of celebrities to spice up its big live events. To also turn the PokerStars Players Party into something really special PokerStars is bringing one of the hottest musical artists to perform on stage.

Anton Zaslavski, better known as “Zedd,” will play a 90-minute set to get the party started. His tracks have more than 200 million clicks on YouTube.

Zedd will also jump into the main event alongside comedian Kevin Hart, who signed with PokerStars at the PSC Monte Carlo in May and is now back for more.

Headed to Barcelona to play Opium for the @PokerStars championship on 21st August!! AND I’ll be playing some poker too!!

PokerStars Fun

If you go to Barcelona in August chances are you’ll have other things on your mind than just poker. As luck would have it the Gran Casino lies right next to the beach and that opens up a couple of options.

PokerStars is offering a variety of pastimes that will definitely give you some extra action. Jet Skis, Flyboards, Flyfish, Hoverboards, Banana boats and Crazy Sofas are all available and players get a 10% discount.

If you’re aiming high, try Parasailing. The view on the city and the sea is priceless. And if you’re looking for relaxation more than action, you can spend some leisure time on a luxury yacht off the coast. It doesn’t get more comfortable than that.

All the available beach activities are just minutes away from the casino so you have plenty of options whenever you don’t feel like sitting at the tables.

Cash Games 24/7

PokerStars events in Barcelona are also very famous for the buzzing cash games. Although the Gran Casino has a spacious cash game area most of the tables will be filled most of the day and the casino will be open 24/7.

Usually the casino offers cash games starting from €1/€2 or €1/€3 but during the PokerStars festival the lowest games can be €2/€5.

If you don’t have an account at PokerStars yet, quickly click through to our PokerStars review page. Registering takes only a couple of minutes and if you go through via PokerListings link you can get up to $600 in bonuses.

The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a cleansing onsen dip, a fresh yukata and just enough sake to not fall through the paper doors of your afternoon poker news ryokan.

Have something you'd like to see in a future 3-Bet? Drop us a note below.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Sam Grafton back on the poker horse in Bucharest, the World Poker Tour hits Japan and an auto shop with some marketing issues.

1) Like Squid From the Sky

There are few players more enjoyable to talk to about poker - or the world-at-large - than Sam "SquidPoker" Grafton.

Squid on the grind again.

You might know him from his stint last year as one of the Global Poker League's co-hosts but he's been around the poker block for years as a veteran online pro and live event dabbler.

He's also got a pretty fantastic Twitter account that's very much worth a follow.

After a couple years respite Grafton made an extended visit to the World Series of Poker in Vegas this year and played a full slate, cashing 7 times and, he says in a new interview with the PokerStars blog, "really enjoyed it."

Back in Europe (he lives in Warsaw) Grafton settled back in for his bread-and-butter online games and promptly won a seat to PokerStars Festival Bucharest, which is where the PStars blog caught up with him.

It's a good chat ranging from his love of poker Twitter to his most recent SCOOP win and his continued appreciation of life as a poker professional. If you have some time, enjoy it here.

2) Konnichiwa, Japan

India. China. The Philippines. Korea. Thailand. Even Vietnam and Cambodia.

WPT host Lynn Gilmartin.

The Asian poker scene has grown exponentially over the past decade and accordingly, as legal issues and logistics have been sorted, seen very successful World Poker Tour stops introduced across the continent.

One place the WPT had yet to surface in, however? Japan, whose poker scene is likewise booming (thanks to trailblazers like Naoya Kihara), but whose confusing gambling laws have likely kept it from happening. 

Consider that solved, at least to some degree, as the WPT announced today it will host its first-ever WPT event in Tokyo from November 23-26:

“The World Poker Tour is honored to partner with the Japan Poker Union Corporation for this momentous occasion, not only the history of the World Poker Tour, but for our industry,” said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour.

“Japan is a truly spectacular place, and the Japanese poker market is a flourishing one that deserves to be showcased on a global stage such as the World Poker Tour. Having spent a considerable amount of time in Japan, I strongly encourage poker players of all levels from around the world to come to Japan and experience first hand everything this beautiful region has to offer.”

Four events are on the WPT Japan schedule but given the restrictions on gambling prizes will only be packages to future WPT events. The WPT Japan Main Event winner will receive a package for both the Season XVII WPT Main Tour event in Beijing and another WPT event of their choice in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Pliska's right about Japan, though - it's spectacular. And worth visiting regardless of the payouts. If you don't trust us, trust Liv Boeree at least:

Never ever ever leaving #Japan pic.twitter.com/hay0sLyK2Q

Full info from the WPT here.

3) Gold Jersey for Every Tire Rotation

WSOP Main Event champ Ryan Riess stumbled across an interesting automotive business in his Michigan home town the other day and shared his findings on Twitter. Much comedic relief ensued with a gold star to Mike Leah, a fames FTOPS crusher, in particular.

Just drove past a new automotive shop in my hometown. That's one way to ensure no poker players go there. They even tried to mirror the font pic.twitter.com/zLkHiEWugR

If they give me a Gold Jersey for every tire rotation I'm in!

If you leave your car overnight they promise to store it in a segregated garage from the other cars.

This year, 888poker has revamped its major online tournament series and truly 'Made Them Big.'

Now under the "XL" banner the tournaments have been split up into three major series over the course of the year – the XL Inferno, the XL Eclipse and the XL Blizzard.

The XL Eclipse is next up on 888poker in September and sub-satellites are already running. You might have tickets in your inbox already.

Three Freerolls Daily

Check the lobby now!

The XL Eclipse series will run from September 10-24.

The exact schedule hasn’t been published yet but there are already freerolls running several times a day where you can qualify for three of the largest events – the Opening, Mini Opening and the Main Event.

If you have an account at 888poker but you haven’t launched the lobby for a while, do it and you’ll see a pop up with free tickets waiting for you.

Confirm and you have the chance to play for tickets for all three events mentioned above.

If you don’t find an invitation to claim your tickets, deposit at least $10 and use the Promo code ECLIPSE10.

Freerolls run at 3:30, 6:30 and 9:30 PM every day.

Here's what's available to win:

Daily Lucky Chip

You also get to spin the “Lucky Chip” once a day for a chance to win more freeroll tickets, tournament tickets, sports bets, casino game vouchers and cash prizes.

Apart from the freerolls there are still regular satellites in the lobby and 888poker will add more in the coming weeks.

You can always go to the satellites tab and play in the Steps tournaments to get your tickets. These are running 24/7.

$8 Million in Guarantees

888poker ran the first of the new festivals, the XL Inferno, in May with $7.5 million in guaranteed prize pools and around 200 events.

Get ready for suitcases. Lots of suitcases.

The XL Eclipse will be equipped with $8 million in guarantees and the number of tournaments will be similar to the Inferno. The Main Event there had $1.5 million guaranteed.

There will be a leaderboard and a champions' event post-series where only tournament winners will play for an exclusive $12,500 prize package for next year’s WSOP.

Compare this to the XL series in January 2016, which had 38 tournaments and an overall prize pool of $2 million, and you’ll see that this series is growing fast.

Create Your Own Account, Get $888 Bonus

To play for $8 million and a seat in the WSOP Main Event you need an account at 888poker. Get yourself some additional information first and check out our 888poker review page.

There you will also find some "Download" buttons. Click on one of them and start the account generation process to make yourself eligible for our exclusive $888 sign-up bonus.

The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a ticket to the fair, a short queue and a heart-dropping tear on the world's fastest afternoon poker news roller coaster.

Got a hot tip for a future 3-Bet? Tweet us @PokerListings or drop a note below.

Today in the 3-Bet we find a hint about the first Poker After Dark lineup, NJ Senator Ray Lesniak with big plans and Bill Perkins, Last of the Gas-Trading Cowboys.

1) JRB, Doyle + Fedor?

Interest was definitely perked early last month when Poker Central announced new episodes of iconic poker TV show Poker After Dark to air on PokerGO in August.

Will the bow tie return?

The only mystery? Which players we'd get to see mix it up in the first $100,000 buy-in, $200/$400 cash game.

We now know a couple of names we can expect to see thanks to a new Poker Central interview with Fedor Holz.

They stopped short of saying Holz would appear on the show (his new schedule as the CEO of Primed Mind has him pretty occupied) but he did say it's high on his priority list:

“I'd definitely be interested [to play on Poker After Dark], but it's hard for me logistically currently, so maybe only once or twice. It would be fun to play against some of the old legends. I'm pretty certain the fans love it if the stakes are high and players entertaining.”

Three players who definitely will be playing in the first episode on Aug. 14? Jean-Robert Bellande (who says he lost $1.5m in two days to a drunken Leon Tsoukernik this summer), Doyle Brunson and Lauren Roberts. Tune in to PokerGO Aug. 14 to watch it all play out.

2) International Player Pools Coming to Jersey?

The state of US online poker has been a disappointment (to say the least) since Black Friday but if there has been a small beacon of hope it's definitely New Jersey.

Jersey on the rise.

After a slow start the industry has found some solid footing over the past couple of years and even seen 30% year-on-year growth in recent months. A consistent player pool has also certainly paid off for a number of WSOP Main Event final-tablists, too.

New Jersey State Senator Ray Lesniak isn't satisfied, though. In a new interview with the AP Lesniak says he's about to introduce a bill to 'allow gamblers in foreign countries, as well as Nevada and Delaware, to place internet bets in New Jersey.'

“I’ve changed my mission from making New Jersey the Silicon Valley of Internet gaming," said Lesniak, "to the Mecca of Internet gaming. "Online gaming has helped Atlantic City to revive its casino sector with a success that we can expand in ways that will generate more revenue, create jobs and fuel technological innovation in gaming.”

Current state law requires players to physically be inside state borders to access New Jersey's online casinos, which would be changed. Last year NJ casinos earned $196.7 million from online gambling, up 32% from 2015. More from AP here.

3) Perkins: Last of the Swashbuckling Gas Traders

If you've watched Bill Perkins' Thirst Lounge Twitch channel before, you know he's a guy with a passion for life.

Riding the big ride.

It's evident in everything he does, from streaming from his yacht to making huge, life-improving prop bets to battling it out with the game's highest rollers on the live felt.

Rarely, though, do you get a taste of his other life - as one of the most successful gas traders in the business. Thanks to the Wall Street Journal, now we have.

In a new piece published today writer Timothy Puko delves into the risk-taking, high-rolling style Perkins brought to the trading world - and how it almost busted him.

Dubbing him the 'Last Cowboy" of the gas markets it's a fascinating look at what Puko calls 'a dying breed' of 'swashbuckling' traders. An excerpt:

“I’m not for everybody,” he said. “You either want me to make you millions of dollars or you don’t ...”

“My overall philosophy is to try to take as much risk as I can stand and then add a little bit more,” Mr. Perkins said. “If I’m going to go ride this roller coaster, I don’t want to ride the kiddie coaster. I want to ride the big ride.”

Definitely worth a read; check it out here.

It’s been called the best small buy-in tournament in Europe and the Betsson group is giving you a chance to get in with an even lower cost of entry.

The 2017 Battle of Malta is set to go Nov. 2-7 and will carry a familiar guaranteed prize pool of €500,000, although the expected prize pool should top last year's record €875,000

As usual, that means the eventual winner (and likely the top 3) will walk away with 6-figures+ and the experience of a lifetime.

Platinum Sponsors Betsson, NordicBet and Betsafe are all now starting satellites for the 2017 BOM this Monday with value-packed €1,650 packages up for grabs.

Plenty of Ways to Qualify

NordicBet, Betsafe and Betsson share a 2017 BOM steps program that starts at just €1.10. Players have the option of playing the €1.10 re-entry event or the €2.20 freezeout with €11 tickets to Level 2 up for grabs.

Level 2 is a €11 buy-in event that feeds straight to the €110 weekly final where the eventual winner will walk away with a €1,650 package to the 2017 Battle of Malta.

Live the dream.

There’s also a separate €11 Sunday Flips event where the winner gets a ticket into the €110 weekly final.

The €1,650 Battle of Malta package on Betsson and NordicBet includes the following:

More Online Qualifiers on the Way

Full-blown BOM qualifying season is nearly upon us with other partners set to announce their specific satellites in the coming weeks.

Silver sponsor PlanetLive365 and Classic Sponsor GUTS are among the sites that will be announcing satellites for BOM shortly.

If you’re already in Malta you’ll also be able to head down to the Portomaso and take part in live satellites co-hosted by BOM.

If you’re looking to avoid the qualifying process altogether you can just buy-in directly for €550.

You can also snag a VIP package that includes five nights accommodation at the 5-star Hilton Hotel or an economy package that includes five nights accommodation at the Ir-Rokna Hotel.

Hotels are filling up fast, however, so we recommend grabbing your packages early.

2017 BOM Promises to Be Bigger, Better Than Ever

Last year Swedish poker player Robert Berglund outlasted a record-setting field of 1,813 entries to win €160,000 and the coveted BOM trophy.

Player/host Gaëlle Garcia Diaz

This year has the potential to be even bigger with side events carrying guarantees for the first time ever, pushing the overall prize pool for the entire festival up to €650,000.

Poker pro/TV presenter Gaëlle Garcia Diaz will make her debut as the first Battle of Malta host from Europe and the very popular final table live stream will also be returning.

This year will also see the introduction of a €165 buy-in ladies event and a €110 re-buy event called Win the Cross.

Players who like to play higher will be happy to know the €1,320 Grandmaster High Roller will feature a €50,000 guarantee for the first time.

To learn more and see the entire schedule you can head over to our 2017 Battle of Malta page.

Christoph Vogelsang won the $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl this year in convincing fashion.

In a nail-biting heads-up he overcame another outstanding player known for his high-stakes prowess – Jake Schindler.

In the end Schindler ran a little short on luck and, maybe, also on mental resilience.

In this Hand of the Week we look at what that eventually decided the 2017 SHRB and gave Vogelsang a $6 million check.

Flop to River

So, we’re heads-up at the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl at Aria in Las Vegas. Incidentally they're also the two players that made the biggest impression on the audience in a field of top pros and wealthy and skilled amateurs.

Those two players: Christoph Vogelsang and Jake Schindler.

The heads-up has been going for more than five excruciating hours. It’s a tough battle for the coveted title and a $2.4m difference in payouts. Who will get the $6m and who will get $3.6m?

The chiplead has gone back and forth. At the time of this hand Vogelsang was ahead as he had just overtook a set flopped by Schindler and doubled up. These are the stacks:

Now let’s get to the hand. Blinds are 50,000/100,000/10,000 with the ante on the button. Vogelsang is in the big blind.

Schindler limps in and Vogelsang checks with    

The flop comes       Vogelsang checks and then calls a bet of 100,000 chips by Schindler. There's now 500,000 in the pot with effective stacks at 7.6 million.

The turn is the   Vogelsang improves to two pair and checks again. Schindler bets 400,000 and now Vogelsang raises it to 1.5 million.

Schindler calls and there's now 3.5 million in the pot. Effective stacks are 6.1 million. The river is the  

Vogelsang leads out with a 2.3 million bet and Schindler takes all his 6.2 million remaining chips to move all-in. Vogelsang doesn’t get much time to think because of the 30-second shot clock and he eventually announces call.

Schindler shows Jack-high with     The two players shake hands and Vogelsang takes the title. Watch the hand right here starting at 6m35s.

Analysis

This hand is relevant not only because it decided the outcome of the tournament but also because of several strategic aspects.

Weak hand and OOP.

With a hand like J-8s Schindler could also justifiably raise pre-flop but opts for the limp to play a couple of streets of poker.

Vogelsang has a weak hand and is out of position. Even heads-up, T-7 doesn’t look too promising.

But then the German flops top pair, which is pretty much the best that could happen to him. Yet he doesn’t bet out as it’s unlikely that his opponent has hit anything and there aren’t many worse hands that can call.

So Vogelsang checks and Schindler makes a bet simply to steal the pot. He bets 100,000 into 300,000 and his bet only has to work one out of four times to be profitable. Plus, he has two backdoor draws.

Of course Vogelsang doesn’t fold top pair. Once again raising it would make only worse hands than his fold.

Action Card on Turn

The turn is the kind of card a screenwriter would have picked – the 7♥. It improves both of Schindler’s draws, giving an inside straight and a flush draw. Only the 9♥ would have been an even better card.

Why wouldn't he fire another barrel?

When Vogelsang checks again Schindler fires another barrel. And why wouldn’t he?

He’s now playing a veritable semi-bluff – opposed to a pure bluff on the flop – and he has at least 12 outs with the jacks being possible outs, too. This gives him 25% equity against a hand like top pair.

But Vogelsang doesn’t necessarily have top pair. He could still be in the hand with a three, a deuce or even more random hands, which would justify a call on the flop but not on the turn.

In this respect Schindler’s bet is a good one. But Vogelsang has actually hit the 7♥ as well giving him top two pair – a monster in heads-up play.

With the board now being on the draw-y side and facing a second bet by Schindler, Vogelsang decides to raise it up.

This is another perfect move because Schindler still has a pretty wide range. It even still consists of a high pair which Schindler could have limped with so Vogelsang can get calls from hands other than draws, too.

River Changes a Couple Things

Schindler calls the turn, telling Vogelsang that he has something. That something can be either a made hand with showdown value or a good draw. The 2♣ on the river isn’t the worst possible card for the German player – a heart would have been a lot worse – but it still changes a couple of things.

Peak Vogelsang arrives.

Vogelsang’s two pair is now counterfeited by all overpairs, meaning pocket jacks and higher now win. Still, Vogelsang’s bet is consistent with the way he played this hand.

He can’t win any more chips from busted draws but hands with a ten like A-T or K-T can still call. He puts out a value bet of 2.3 million but then Schindler moves in for 6 million to exert maximum pressure.

Let’s have a quick look at numbers before we take the next step. To win a pot of 12 million Vogelsang has to pay another four million, giving him pretty good pot odds of 3 to 1.

But if he’s wrong and loses he’s left with just one million equalling 10 big blinds. It would be extremely hard to overcome such a big deficit.

As time is limited, even a world-class player like Vogelsang can’t really go through all the options he has. But we can take a quick overview of the hands Schindler now has in his range and how he would play them.

This list shows you that there are actually very few hands Schindler would push here. Basically it's four hands – except for the bluffs, of which a player like him always has some in his range.

Vogelsang’s call then wasn’t just the winning decision; it was also the right one as Schindler is bluffing here often enough – or in other words, he’s rarely very strong.

Conclusion

Maybe it was frustration over the big hand he’d lost a few minutes earlier, but Jake Schindler risks his tournament life in this gruellingly long heads-up with a dicey bluff and can’t force the fold.

Vogelsang, on the other hand, over the course of the four days this tournament took, shows that he’s at his peak at the moment and once more finds the correct decision(s).

Once a month 888poker ambassador Kara Scott takes a look back at the most important developments in poker over the last few weeks and adds some insight of her own.

Dubbed "The Poker Brief" it's a convenient way to get a snapshot overview of what's happening in poker in a 3-minute chunk.

This month Scott looks back at the WSOP, the Hall of Fame inductees, the return of Poker After Dark and a big new development in European online poker.

This Was the 2017 WSOP

The event of the year is over and, as the dust settles, Scott reflects on how incredible this year’s finale was.

The Champ abides.

With a turnout of over 7,200 players it was the largest Main Event since 2010. It also seems to indicate that poker still has room to grow.

This year also saw live broadcasts of the Main Event from Day 1 alongside the well-known and popular WSOP shows on ESPN. 

While this answered many players’ wish to have more live coverage, the costs and the commentary in particular stirred up some controversy.

888poker spoke with this year’s champion, Scott Blumstein, who justifiably was in a “state of shock” after his big win.

Blumstein’s description of how he came two Las Vegas two weeks earlier with just a dream like thousands of other players and then miraculously went on to win shows the appeal of poker better than any strategy piece or TV show ever can.

“Poker will always be part of my life” says Blumstein, who says he was close to quitting playing poker professionally. He says that he won’t be travelling the circuit full time in the future but expect him to play some of the larger events in Europe coming up shortly.

Ivey, Devilfish Join the Hall

July saw two names added to the list of players who are members of the Poker Hall of Fame.

Two bosses, two Hofers.

This year, as Scott reports, Phil Ivey unsurprisingly made his entry into the Hall of Fame while Dave "Devilifish" Ulliott was awarded posthumously.

The overwhelming dominance of American players in the HoF has been hotly debated in the recent past and it seems the voices of the critics are finally being heard.

Poker After Dark returns

In the aftermath of Black Friday poker lost its – arguably – two best TV shows – Poker after Dark and High Stakes Poker.

Now the former is coming back. The return is highly anticipated in the poker community but it’ll be difficult to repeat the success of the original.

On top of that 888poker will sponsor a new high-stakes series called The Poker Masters with up to a $100,000 buy-in. Can this be a success?

Spain, Portugal, Italy, France Join Player Pools

Spain, Portugal, Italy and France have signed an agreement to share player pools going forward. This should make online poker much more interesting and versatile in all these countries.

The merger is supposed to happen early next year and it’ll probably coincide with several online poker events to celebrate the improvement. Watch PokerListings’ 888 news section for more.

Sam Grafton is €117,707 richer after taking down the latest PokerStars Festival Main Event in Bucharest.

The English pro got past 3,300 entries to claim the top prize. The event awarded over €1.3m in prize money making it the biggest tournament ever held in Romania.

With the win Grafton, who is sometimes known by his online name TheSquid, moved his all-time live tournament earnings to just under $1m and now sits at $910,000.

Grafton entered heads-up play against Turkish poker player Anil Olgun Ozdemir at a severe 3-1 chip disadvantage but managed to battle back and eventually claim the title.

France's Patrick Bueno Busts in Fifth

Grafton, who worked as one of the commentators for the GPL several years ago, was arguably the most well known player at the final table but French pro Patrick Bueno also made an appearance.

Patrick Bueno

Bueno ended up falling in fifth place when he lost a race with pocket tens to an opponents ace-king. Bueno earned €34,400 for his efforts in the contest.

Grafton is primarily an online player but has been putting more work into live tournaments over the last few years and told organizers the live victory was a treat.

“I feel really proud. I've been playing PokerStars events for a long time and it feels like a completion of something I've been trying to do for six years since I played UKIPT Coventry,” he said.

The majority of players at PokerStars Festival Bucharest were locals but there were also a large contingent of players from France, Bulgaria and the Ukraine.

The festival also played host to a €2,200 high roller that drew the likes of Chris Moneymaker, Andreas Klatt, Vladimir Shabalin and Alexandru Papazian, the first Romanian to win a WSOP bracelet.

In the end it was Isreal’s Or Patreanu who took down the high roller for a haul of €55,500.

Barcelona Looming for PokerStars Live Events

With PokerStars Festival Bucharest out of the way there is a major PokerStars event looming on the horizon.

The first-ever PokerStars Championship Barcelona will take place Aug. 15-27 at the Casino Barcelona.

The €5,300 buy-in Main Event will carry a massive €7m guaranteed prize pool and electric music star Zedd will provide some beats for the exclusive players’ party.

Satellites are still running for PokerStars Championship Barcelona and you can hit up our PokerStars review to snag an account and get in on the action.

Players logging on to partypoker this week will be treated to a revamped software client with a plethora of new features.

First and foremost the new software offers a striking dark aesthetic, which is a marked change from the old white version. The change was made to make long sessions easier on players’ eyes.

Players will also benefit from improved game navigation and collapsable filters to view more game changes.

partypoker also updated the Sit & Hero lobby to differentiate between three and four-handed games.

The new software is already available for download for all players on Windows.

Phase 2 on the Horizon

While the changes to partypoker’s software are impressive, it’s really just the start with several more phases of updates in the works.

Phase 2 is scheduled to go live in the next quarter and will include the ability to view the lobby in full screen as well as better-looking tables and more customization options.

partypoker ambassador Patrick Leonard

The new software is the result of collaboration between players and developers at partypoker.

“We acknowledge that our poker product needed some love,” said managing director of partypoker Tom Waters.

“We have been working on this project for a number of months with the support of a large group of players. We have been testing the phase 1 release over the past couple of weeks and the feedback from the players has been extremely encouraging. There are many more enhancements in the pipeline and I am confident that by the end of 2017 our players will be delighted with the improved look and feel and the usability of the software.”

Interestingly the updated software actually removed one feature: The one-click lobby.

Apparently the vast majority of players preferred viewing the full lobby and developers made the decision to streamline the entire experience.

New Satellites to $250k-GTD Title Fight

It’s a busy time for partypoker with the €1m-GTD German Poker Championships currently being held in Rozvadov and the brand-new software getting a global launch.

Non-stop partypoker action.

You can add one more ongoing promotion to partypoker this week with the launch of Title Fight phased satellites.

The $250,000-guaranteed Title Fight is partypoker’s flagship tournament that takes place every Sunday.

The event carries a rather significant $215 buy-in so partypoker is launching a series of phased satellites for players looking to get a seat on the cheap.

The new phased satellites start at $2.20 and run like normal satellites except that play ends at the end of 14 levels and players take their chips to the Title Fight Semi Final.

Make it through 15 levels of play in the Title Fight Semi Final and once again take all the chips in front of you to the Daily Final.

The Daily Final awards 10 seats to the $250k-GTD Title Fight. Simple as that.

The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a gentle voice, an unassuming table manner and the swag of a true afternoon poker news boss hiding under the surface.

Got a tip for a future 3-Bet? Tweet us @PokerListings or drop a note in the comments.

Today in the 3-Bet we find a new record for live poker in Europe, Kenny Hallaert thundering through the summer and Nipun Java hotter than lava.

1) Goliath = Goliath

There's a new record for the biggest live poker event ever held in Europe (or outside Vegas for that matter).

Goliath magnum for Marais (Photo: GUKPT)

Breaking its own record of 5,242 entries last year the £120 buy-in GUKPT Goliath at the Grosvenor Casino in Coventry set a new record over the past week with 6,385 entries.

The $890,000 prize pool nearly tripled the $325,550 guarantee and paid out $111,665 to the winner, Elliot Marais.

Working off of just one buy-in ($156), that's a pretty solid return on investment for Marais. Considering he had exactly $1,111 in live earnings prior, it's astonishing.

Next stop for the GUKPT is in Leeds next month where the field might not be quite as huge but the value should be similarly high.

If watching small-stakes poker is your bag there will be a live stream for all four days of play, which is very cool.

Check the full rundown of the Goliath here and watch an interview with the winner and runner-up below.

2) Kenny Hallaert is a Boss

Did you know Belgian Kenny 'SpaceyFCB' Hallaert has over $7m in combined live and online tournament earnings?

TD is major +EV

Hallaert came to the attention of most poker fans for the first time during his impressive run to the 2016 WSOP Main Event November Nine and 6th-place finish.

He made even more fans this year with another deep run in the Main Event that ended in 68th. But Hallaert's legacy in poker goes well beyond just those two big scores.

A full-time tournament director for the Unibet Poker Tour (among others) Hallaert has been a big contributor on the industry side of the game in Europe for over a decade.

He also has a startlingly impressive online poker resume with $3.8m in career earnings - a number which grew even further this past week. Taking little rest from his summer exploits (9 WSOP cashes for > $450,000) Hallaert won his second career online Triple Crown with 3 nice wins:

A pretty successful 10-day grind, then:

Completed my Triple Crown today in style!! It was a good 10 day grind.Couple of days off now. pic.twitter.com/3cJlne6YEa

Well earned for one of the nicest guys in poker.

3) Nipun Java Wins $570 SHRPO Deep Stack for $230,849

Speaking of poker players on impressive runs ... Nipun Java is having a summer to remember, too.

Summer of success for Java.

A regular on the tournament scene since around 2011 the New Delhi-based Java has posted some dazzling results over the past two months.

It started at the very beginning of the 2016 WSOP when he and partner Aditya Sushant earned the first-ever bracelets for India in the $1k Tag Team event. He followed that up with an even more impressive solo bracelet in the $1k Online Championship July 7.

Less than a month later he's added another live title to his Hendon page as he topped 3,173 entries to win the $570 Deep Stack at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida over the weekend.

After a four-handed deal Java collected $230,849 to push his career earnings up over $2m - and even further ahead at #1 on India's all-time money list.

Even with the Indian poker scene booming of late, it may take a very long time for his $1.3m lead over second-place Raghav Bansal (a Macau regular) to be overcome. More on Java's SHRPO win here.

PokerStars, one of the original pioneers of the jackpot-style Sit & Go format, is adding a new way to play Spin & Go’s.

Spin & Go Max will offer a variety of new elements but the eye-catching one is the chance for players to potentially win 10,000 their buy-in.

The rest of the new features include a randomized number of players (3-8), three final prizes (of which the winner picks one blind) and the option to cash out before picking your prize.

Spin & Go Max events are actually even more action-packed than normal Spin & Go’s with a fixed number of hands based on how many players are involved. Once the final hand has been played, everyone is all-in on every hand.

Because of the limited number of hands, players will have to employ a slightly different strategy when playing Spin & Go Max.

Max Risk, Max Reward

Once a player outlasts all his/her competition in a Spin & Go Max, they will then get the chance to roll the dice on three hidden prizes (which were shown in the beginning of the game).

If the prizes are big enough than players will also be given the option of cashing out creating a risk/reward situation.

Of course if anyone manages to hit that 10,000 multiplier than there's a good chance they will pick one of the hidden prizes.

Spin & Go Max will launch at the buy-in levels of $1, $3, $7 and $15 with at least one of the three random prizes being worth twice the buy-in.

“Spin & Go Max is the next level of the Spin & Go format and delivers more excitement and a great immersive experience through new graphics and more chances for winning moments,” said Severin Rasset, Director Of Poker Innovation and Operations at PokerStars.

Spin & Go Max is already live on .COM, .EU, .UK and .BE with other markets to follow shortly pending regulatory approval in those regions.

Win a Free Sunday Million Live Seat

New Spin & Go’s aren’t the only attraction at PokerStars right now.

Lex Veldhuis streaming on Twitch.

The site is giving away €6,500 worth of €215 Day 1 tickets to its upcoming Sunday Million Live event at King’s Casino in Rozvadov.

The tickets will given away by Team PokerStars Pro Online members Felix ‘xflixx’ Schneiders, Lex ‘L.Veldhuis’ Veldhuis, Fintan ‘easywithaces’ Hand and Ben ‘Spraggy’ Spragg over the next three weeks.

Players can actually win the tickets in a variety of ways including competitions and straight-up giveaways across the Team Pro’s Twitter and Twitch accounts.

A Day 1 ticket gives players a chance to qualify for the live Day 2 portion of the tournament, which will take place in Rozvadov.

To learn more or sign up for an account just head over to our PokerStars review.

The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a slow jump at the gun, a head of steam and no chance the field can hold you off down the afternoon poker news stretch.

Have a piece you'd like to see in a future 3-Bet? Tell us about it in the comments.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Phil Hellmuth signing for Elon Musk, Usain Bolt out strong against Kevin Hart and a Wild Hungarian and a Diablo boss take on Twitch.

1) Poker Brat in Demand

We're not sure just how many of these were by request or initiated by Phil himself but that's still an impressive list getting autographed copies of Hellmuth's new Poker Brat autobiography:

Honored this week to sign "Poker Brat" books for @ElonMusk President Clinton, Sheryl Sandberg, @TonyRobbins Jim Harbaugh, @Money23Green pic.twitter.com/67xngEKtY9

With the release of his book has come a lot of action for Hellmuth post-WSOP including a 30-minute FB Live sitdown with Sandberg, recording the audio and appearing on a bunch of podcasts.

The latest? An almost 2-hour chat with Doug Polk last night in support of the book and their upcoming Poker Night in America King of the Hill battle. Check it out below:

2) Bolt Out to Early #GameOn Lead

With big shoes to fill, PokerStars' newest high-profile ambassadors Kevin Hart and Usain Bolt have done an admirable job so far of raising poker awareness among their sizeable fan bases.

Game On for Bolt

Hart, especially, has made a splash with his appearances in the Bahamas and Monaco and at the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl. 

Bolt, much like he does in his races, is off to a slower start but, also like his races, is beginning to pick up steam.

He might not have won his final solo race but he has edged out in front of Hart in their ongoing #GameOn battle to see who will have the chip lead for their heads-up showdown at next year's PSC Bahamas.

Here's DNegs himself with the update:

Take a look back at the #GameOn battle so far with @RealKidPoker. Who’s in the lead - #TeamHart or #TeamBolt? pic.twitter.com/PGwt4ozwaD

Hart has also been busy launching his new LOL network, at which a classic "Royal Flush wins the set-up hand" was filmed. Read the report from crack poker reporter Alex Villegas here.

3) Gaming Legend Joins partypoker Twitch Brigade

If you're a fan of watching poker streaming on Twitch you'll know there's no shortage of great options these days.

From Doug Polk to Parker Talbot to Jaime Staples to Espen Uhlen Jorstad to Lex Veldhuis to the kingpin of the genre himself, Jason Somerville, the entertainment and strategy value being offered is off the charts right now.

Add another great channel to your programming mix as the surging partypoker has upped his Twitch game lately with new and intriguing streamers to follow.

The latest is World of Warcraft/Diablo legend Philipp “Moldran" Karburn, who joins Beata 'Wild Hungarian" Jambrik, Adam “IT5PAYDAY” Neal and Joey Craig in the regular partypoker Twitch lineup.

Moldran hits the tables on Mondays while Jambrik has the reins today for her usual Sit & Go Hero stream. Check it out below:

For its first poker festival after the WSOP, 888poker is going to Brazil, the fastest growing market in the poker world.

This one will be a special one on the live schedule of 888poker, too - a poker festival in São Paolo that includes a Ladies event, a Celebrity Invitational and a Flopomania freeroll.

It'll run September 6-11 and it’ll be a big one backdropped by 12 million people in one of the largest cities in the world. 

With 6(!) Day 1s for the main event 888poker is expecting a huge field -- and they’ve thrown in a couple of perks and presents to make it even better.

The Events

The main event will be a R$1,300 (€350) NLHE tournament with six starting flights over the course of four days,\ followed by two long playing days to determine a winner.

There will also be a 2-day, R$2,500 (€678) High Roller Event and a R$500 (€135) Ladies Event.

In addition 888poker will hold a celebrity invitational tournament for charity.

A lot of celebrities have already confirmed for it including Denilson, Cafu and 888poker ambassadors Sofia Lövgren and Chris Moorman.

First-Ever Flopomania

While the players in the Celebrity Invitational are hand-picked the following event is a world debut and open to everyone.

888poker is hosting the first Flopomania tournament and it’ll be a freeroll!

Flopomania is 888poker’s latest invention and it’ll soon be available online. In this game you play Texas Hold’em but you skip the first, pre-flop betting round.

All players go to the flop immediately which opens up a lot more possibilities -- especially for weak hands. Remember how you folded 8-4 off-suit and then the flop fell 8-4-4? Not going to happen in Flopomania.

To introduce the game 888poker won't put a buy-in on this event. It’s an experiment and they want you to play without worrying about money, so try it out.

You can find a complete overview of the times and dates of the different events here on 888poker. 

Full WSOPE Prize Packages!

The High Roller event will have at least R$200,000 (€54k) in the prize pool while the Main Event even has 1 million Brazilian Real (€270k) guaranteed.

On top of that the Main Event winner, the High Roller winner AND the winner of the Ladies Event will all receive a full WSOPE main event package worth $13,000!

That’s some extra value if you consider the buy-in -- especially for the ladies event.

The WSOPE will take place at the King’s Casino in Rozvadov this November and the prize package includes the $10,000 buy-in, hotel and some travel costs.

Qualify Online for $5

888poker is the main sponsor of the WSOP in Las Vegas and WSOPE in Rozvadov and the second largest online poker operator in the world.

To play in the 888poker festival in São Paolo you can qualify for the main event online. There are two different satellites in the lobby.

The $5 buy-in satellite gets you a ticket only for the main event while the $12 direct satellite gets you a full package that also includes the hotel costs.

Don’t have an 888poker account yet? Head to our 888poker review page to get more information on the poker room in general and instructions how to create your own account in particular.

888poker Heads to Brazil

The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a leather-sleeved jacket, a shiny class pin and one hell of a memorable afternoon poker news homecoming weekend.

Got a hot tip for a future 3-Bet? Tweet us @PokerListings or drop a note in the comments.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Nick Schulman step out from the booth for a big win, Jason Mercier's bracelet hunt continues and Ryan Riess goes big on Michigan State basketball.

1) Schulman Wins SHRPO SHR

Veteran poker pro Nick Schulman has dazzled the poker world over the past couple of years with his silky smooth and brilliantly insightful commentary for events like the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl.

Pro first, commentator second.

So much so, in fact, that some high-stakes legends say they can't live without it.

And so much so, too, that some might forget Schulman is so good at his commentary job because he's also, first and foremost, a great poker player.

Schulman went pro at 18, dominated online under the nickname "TheTakeover" and by 21 won a WPT for over $2.1m.

He's since gone on to countless final tables and big scores, two WSOP bracelets and just under $10m in live earnings.

In short: He's a poker force in all aspects. And pretty much a boss in all variations, too.

And, as if we needed any more proof, he won the $50,000 High Roller at Seminole Hard Rock yesterday:

Fresh from the @WSOP commentary booth to #SHRPO Super High Roller champion! Congrats to Nick Schulman on taking the title for $440,000! pic.twitter.com/xslu4m9jLK

2) Mercier's 2017 Bracelet Hunt Continues

As we wrote last month when the WSOP in Vegas was winding up, PokerStars pro Jason Mercier didn't quite hit the heights he'd hoped for this summer.

Bracelets always on his mind.

The bar he himself has set - like his 2-bracelet, POY winning summer of 2016 - is impossibly high, of course. But he still seemed to leave Vegas with unfinished business on his mind.

While we thought he might have to wait until this Fall's WSOPE to resume his bracelet hunt it turns out he found a way to get back on the horse much quicker.

The 2017 Global Casino Championship - with free entry to all WSOPC winners over the season - has played out at Harrah's Cherokee in North Carolina this week and Mercier has made the final table.

There's $296k up top, sure, but it's the bracelet at the end (and his bracelet bets) we suspect he's most interested in. The only final-tablist to have bought his way in for $10k Mercier is fourth in chips and hope for that sixth career bracelet is alive and well.

Made TV final table of 6 players !

Filming starts tomorrow at Noon EST

Have 364k at 5/10k. Let's go!! #BraceletHunting

Follow the live updates on WSOP.com to see it play out today.

3) Riess Makes $100,000 Bet on MSU Basketball

When you win the WSOP Main Event for $8.3 million - even if it was four years ago - that definitely gives you some wriggle room in the future for a few spontaneous spending whims. That includes $100,000 bets on your alma mater, it seems.

Just bet $100k on @MSU_Basketball this season. Biggest bet of my life #LFG

Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson and the Spartans definitely look like contenders, for sure. But that's a big bet any way you look at it. GL to the Beast.

More than a decade after the United States passed the infamous Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act, Australia is following suit with a similar bill that will effectively force all major operators out of the country.

The bill, titled the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill, has been in discussion since the fall of 2016 but yesterday the Australian Senate officially passed the legislation.

The law is set to go into effect on Sept. 9, 2017, at which time all online poker sites will have to stop offering their services to Australians.

It’s estimated there are up to 130,000 online poker players in Australia.

The Exodus Begins

Some of the biggest online poker sites have already left the Australian market.

Famous Australian poker pro Joe Hachem.

888poker officially left the market way back in January announcing that a “business revaluation” had forced them to no longer offer services to players in the country.”

Meanwhile representatives from PokerStars have already stated that if the legislation passes they will have to block players from Australia.

PokerStars has generally been one of the last operators to leave closed-off markets but every withdrawal has been remarkably smooth. The Australian market also only represents 2.5% of PokerStars’ total revenue.

partypoker, 32Red and the Gaming Innovation Group are also expected to leave the Australia market.

Any operators that continue to operate in Australia will face fines of up to AU$6.75m a day.

If there’s any consolation for Australian poker players it’s that a Black Friday-scenario, where US-poker players were separated from their bankrolls for several years, is unlikely.

Loopholes Finally Closed in Australian Laws

Online poker has essentially existed in a gray area of Australia Law since 2001. That’s when Australia passed its first online gambling bill but since online poker barely existed at that point there wasn’t enough language that specifically referenced it.

Of course Australian Joe Hachem won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2005 and helped push the market into overdrive, becoming arguably the most well-known poker pro in the country.

The new bill makes it illegal for any overseas gambling companies to offer services to Australians unless they hold a license under State or Territory law.

Similar to US-based legislation, it’s not illegal for individuals to play online poker but rather for the operators to offer it to said players.

Interestingly online sports betting and horse racing will remain legal, leaving online poker as the odd one out.

Poker players from around Australian banded together to form the Online Poker Players Alliance in an effort to protect online poker but those efforts, at least for now, appear to have been in vain.

Jon Van Fleet has had one of the most successful online poker careers in history but it wasn't always a smooth ride.

Van Fleet, who's known online as “apestyles”, sat down with PokerListings.com to look back on the biggest challenges he faced over the last decade.

It's a story that covers huge highs and low lows and takes Jon all over the world playing poker.

It's also a story that has a happy ending, so far.

For the last four years Jon's been focusing on putting down roots and getting more balance in his life and it's been working.

Just two weeks before this interview Jon had the biggest online score of his life. He won the $1k Powerfest Main Event on partypoker for $153,000.

Watch the full video below to hear tons more and keep watching PokerListings.com for more original poker video.

Smooth Start to Poker Career

Van Fleet first started playing poker right around the time Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2003. He was going to school at Texas Tech and played for fun with his classmates.

Over the next few years Jon started taking poker more and more seriously and went on a big run that built his initial bankroll.

“When I look back on my first results in tournament poker, when I didn't even really know what I was doing, I had a period where I just won everything in a row.”

Jon said his roll went from $3,000 to $70,000 really fast.

Beardless Jon Van Fleet.

“I remembered thinking, 'Wow, you can really do this. I can play a game and make this my living'. It was really mind-blowing to me.”

Black Friday a Big Bump in the Road

Jon's career took off and until April 15, 2011 he was able to earn a living playing online in the US.

That all changed when the American government shut down online poker, freezing funds and forcing people like Jon to either find a new line or work, or move to a different country.

“Man, my heart just droppped,” said Van Fleet.

“I couldn't believe it. I knew they had banned banks from doing transactions but I couldn't believe it had all been shut down.

“Honestly what followed from that time period was bouncing around from place to place, uncertainty and I would say I went through a depressive period where I was drinking a lot and using a lot of drugs.”

Jon lived in Costa Rica and a few places in Europe before moving to Mexico, which is where things became unsustainable.

Watch the video for the whole story straight from Jon Van Fleet and subscribe to PokerListings on YouTube for more original poker video.

The iconic PokerStars Caribbean Adventure will return to the international poker circuit in 2018.

The famous festival was switched to PokerStars Championship Bahamas for 2017 to fit the new tour’s naming scheme but organizers have decided to flip back to the more established PCA next year.

The PCA will also revert back to its old buy-in of $10,300, which is something numerous players requested.

It will once again take place at the Atlantis Resort & Casino in the Bahamas, from January 6-18, 2018.

PokerStars Committed to 400+ Players

Despite a bigger buy-in of $10,300 for 2018, PokerStars is committed to sending at least 400 players to the PCA Main Event.

Christian Harder: The one (and only?) PSB winner.

Last year Christian Harder won $429k for taking down the PokerStars Championship Bahamas but 2018 could see a sizable boost to that number.

The new name and new buy-in are hardly the only noteworthy additions for the 2018 PCA, however.

PokerStars made the decision to cap all admin fees for tournaments with buy-ins bigger than $10,000. That means all tournaments in that range — including the $25,000 and $50,000 high rollers — will be capped at a $300 admin fee.

Admin fees will also be reduced by 50% for turbo-paced events with levels of 19 minutes or less.

PokerStars estimates the reduced tournament fees will save players approximately $300,000 over the span of the series.

The schedule in general will be streamlined to include more than 30 tournaments with an added focus on longer levels and more play.

PokerStars will also be throwing a $50,000 freeroll on the last day of the tournament. The event will be free to play and open to anyone who played even a single PCA event.

Player Bags, Huge Party Set to Return

In the early days PokerStars gained considerable fame for its coveted “player bags” which included hundreds of dollars worth of ‘Stars-banded merchandize including T-shirts, caps, baseball, hockey jerseys and more over the years.

Kevin Hart will be at the 2018 PCA.

Those player bags will make a triumphant return to the 2018 PCA with PokerStars estimating each bag’s value at $200.

PokerStars also has plans to improve the food and drink options at the festival, which has been a long running complaint.

In addition PokerStars two biggest signings over the last few year — comedian Kevin Hart and Olympian Usain Bolt — are also set to face off at the PCA tables this year.

The pair have been chirping each other all year as part of the promotional match and will finally lay it all out on the tables.

Satellites to the 2018 PCA begin in September with an incredibly diverse schedule of qualifiers that start at just $1.10 as part of the steps program.

To learn more or sign up for an account you can always check out our PokerStars review.

Legendary cash game player Tom “durrrr” Dwan is heading back to America to star in the new season of Poker After Dark.

Dwan has been MIA stateside the last few years as he’s invested most of his time playing in some of the biggest games in Macau and Manila.

The Edison, NJ, native will participate in all three days of the revamped PAD cash game, which debuts next Monday, Aug. 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET and runs through Aug. 16. The show will be available to all PokerGo subscribers.

Dwan will face against a stacked table that includes Jean-Robert Bellande, Antonio Esfandiari, Daniel Negreanu, Lauren Roberts and Bill Klein.

Return of the King?

Tom Dwan will take part in the cash game portion of PAD as the first three days will be a $100,000 minimum buy-in cash game with $200/$400 blinds and a $400 button ante.

Tom "durrrr" Dwan

Dwan will also stick around Tuesday night and Wednesday night where he’ll compete against the likes of Doyle Brunson and Andrew Robl.

Interestingly Dwan dominated PAD when he first appeared on the program, back in the late 2000s.

It helped that the cards seemed to go his way but Dwan notable won massive pots off Bob Safai, Patrick Antonius and Phil Ivey.

High Stakes Poker is where Dwan truly broke out as a TV poker star but he continued to build his legend with a few outrageous bluffs on PAD.

Dwan told Poker Central that he still gets asked about his appearances on PAD and HSP, even in Asia, and that helped motivate him to get involved with the new season.

It’s been years since Dwan showed up at the WSOP so this will be the first time poker fans will get to see him play in a considerable amount of time.

Full Lineup of PAD Games

Cash games aren’t the only thing on the agenda for the revamped PAD as the following week, Aug. 22-24 will revert back to the familiar Sit & Go format of the original show.

Even Doyle Brunson is going to play PAD!

The Sit & Go’s will feature two $25k buy-in events and a bigger $50k buy-in event.

PAD will continue hosting events well into September with a variety of episodes including another $50k Sit & Go and a $200k minimum buy-in cash game.

The PAD schedule will be briefly interrupted by the recently announced Poker Masters, which runs Sept. 13-20 at Aria Resort & Casino.

The high roller-focused Poker Masters features a week of $50,000 buy-in tournaments culminating with a three-day $100,000.

Live streams of feature tables and final tables will be available on PokerGO.

The player who earns the most over the five events will receive an exclusive purple jacket, similar to famous green jacket of the Masters.

The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a bundle of rubles, a shot of vodka and all the mink stolls you need to keep your afternoon poker news jewels warm.

Have a hot tip for a future 3-Bet? Drop us a note about it in the comments.

Today in the 3-Bet we find Dan "Jungleman" Cates letting loose on Isildur1, Fedor Holz goes deep with ME champ Scott Blumstein and Russia gets more poker love.

1) Isildur1 ... Wtf?

Interested in high-stakes legend and free-speaker Dan "Jungleman" Cates going off for close to 2 hours about Isildur1's questionable poker decisions and his neverending durrrr Challenge?

How about the big games at Aria and Bobby's Room, the secret cash-game scene in Asia and the future of online poker?

We thought you might be. Here he is w/ Doug Polk from yesterday:

2) Two Primed Minds Get Together

Got another hour? How about a Primed Mind sitdown between retired poker genius Fedor Holz and 2017 WSOP Main Event champ Scott Blumstein, who took his Primed Mind lessons and rode them all the way to the world championship last month:

3) All Jets Lead to Sochi Again

If all that poker talk gets you itching to play live again, you're in luck. The Fall poker tournament schedule around the world is looking pretty beefy with the $7 million guaranteed PSC Barcelona kicking things off later this month.

Surreal Sochi casino.

And if you've ever dreamed of playing in those soft, soft Russian fields you might want to add a trip to Sochi to your wish list as two nice festivals are going down there in September and October.

First, partypoker heads to Sochi in September for the $9 million GTD MILLIONS Russia festival - what will the largest poker event in CIS history. That'll run from Sep. 4-14 and you can qualify on partypoker right now for as little as 1 cent.

If you don't get it sorted for Sept. PokerStars swoops in for its newest PokerStars Festival Sochi in mid-October. Running Oct. 16-22 it'll offer two low buy-in events ($180/$370) plus an $1,100 Main Event and $2,2000 High Roller.

The Main Event has $500,000 GTD and is sure to be both good value and an unforgettable cultural experience. Qualifying, as you might have guessed, is also underway on PokerStars.

Udachi!