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Today in the 3-Bet we find the inaugural Global Poker Masters getting poker hearts and minds racing, the beautiful island of Malta settling in for a long haul on the EPT and a $4.9m Louis XIV-inspired penthouse up for grabs.
1) Forza Italia! Long Live Team Poker!
If you tuned in for any of the Global Poker Masters this weekend you can probably guess what we're going to say. More or less ... wow. That was really fun.
Yep, there were doubters. And yep, there were definitely hiccups that need to be ironed out. But there's no doubt the potential for a spectacular annual poker event was on display in Malta this weekend.
As Dan Smith of Team USA - who was part of one of the most-drama filled hands of tournament - put it:
At first I was skeptical but had a good time at the #GlobalPokerMasters Was cool to see all the teams buy into it and play hard
— Dan Smith (@dansmithholla) March 23, 2015Tension was high. National pride was evident. And, as Smith said, buy in from the players was critical. A great start to an intriguing future.
What did Team Italy win besides bragging rights? They know, but the rest of us don't yet. The event MVP will be awarded a Roger Dupuis watch at the European Poker Awards on Wednesday, though.
Check out a few words from GPM founder Alex Dreyfus about what's in store for Global Poker Masters 2. We're already looking forward to it!
2) Malta Ticks Boxes; Main Event Hits 600 Entries and Climbing
It's hard to imagine a much better start to a first-time EPT stop than what's been happening at the inaugural EPT Malta this past week.
A smashing 1,285 entries for the €1,000 IPT main event. The drama-filled inaugural Global Poker Masters. Finally, also, some sunshine.
More than anything, though, what bodes well for Malta's future as a permanent EPT stop? The space.
As we know well from the PokerListings Battle of Malta, the Hilton Hotel and adjacent Portmaso Casino have everything you need to host a spectacular poker event for a huge crowd of poker players.
Given the impressive 600-player turnout for the Main Event so far and the surprising succes of the 25k High Roller, things look good for Malta to become a fixture on the EPT.
"Ultimately, player power will determine success or otherwise of a destination," says the PokerStars blog, "and again the omens for Malta are good." Check the full piece here.
3) Barry Shulman's Louis XIV-Inspired Penthouse Listed for $4.9m
Looking for an ornate, velvet-draped, 17th-Century France-inspired "poker lovers' penthouse" to lay your head in?
Didn't think so.
Still, if you're curious, WSOPE champ/Card Player Media founder Barry Shulman's gilded, three-floor Las Vegas penthouse is on the market for $4.9m.
Among the features:
Wood molding with 18-carat gold-leaf filigree An ornate, winding iron staircase A second-story cantilever housing an Old World-looking grand piano 18-carat gold-detailed patina and marble staircase Candle-lit crystal wall sconces A large armoire with gilded Egyptian feet
Stop, you say? You can't take it anymore? Ok.
Full details here.
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