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Today in the 3-Bet we find Doyle Brunson standing by his FTP friends, the Tapie Group sticking to its plans for the stadium poker tour and a "riot" almost breaking out at the WSOPC in Palm Beach.
1) Doyle Shifts Blame to Bitar, Says FTP Pals Still Pals
We know how Daniel Negreanu, Matt Glantz and thousands more in the poker community feel about what Full Tilt did.
Now we know how poker legend Doyle Brunson feels – and it might surprise you.
In his latest blog post, Brunson gives his thoughts on the FTP debacle (as he understands it) and essentially says it’s Ray Bitar and the CFO who are the real guilty parties.
Two important excerpts:
“I've been in contact with Lederer the last few months. When someone I've known for years, trusted and respected looks me dead in the eye and says he didn't know about the financial problems, call me a big old Texas sucker because I will believe them.
“I have not talked to Ferguson but I understand he says what Lederer told me, that they didn't know.
“There are at least 4 stockholders that own more of FT than Lederer. Where were they? The guilt should be shared IF its true Lederer and Ferguson didn't know of the financial mess”
And:
“As far as I know, every member and stockholder of FT was my friend before Black Friday.
“Despite all the terrible mistakes and mismanagement I know the intent to defraud wasn't part of their plan. Despite a LAW suit against FT by a major stockholder that killed potential sales, despite the fact they tried to salvage their company by continuing to operate outside the US, they are the same faces as before.
“I don't want to take a baseball bat and crush their grapes and I don't want to keep them from rejoining the poker world. Where do you stop the level of responsibility?
“I don't know, I only know all of the FT people were my friends and they still are."
Needless to say, it hasn't been received well by the 2+2 crowd. More debate here.
2) Tapie Says ISPT Still a Go, More Stops Planned
When the video and website surfaced last year for the soon-to-be-launched International Stadiums Poker Tour (ISPT), no one was quite knew what to make of it.
Backed by the Bernard Tapie Groupe and appearing around the time of the first takeover talks, it seemed almost too good to be true.
With 30,000 participants, a €30 million prize pool and Wembley Stadium the setting, it looked amazing – as did the ad for it.
According to the ISPT website, that guarantee is now down to €20 million but it still looks set to go with its split online/live format at Wembley this September.
"Wembley Stadium is already booked," Laurent Tapie told eGaming Review, "and we just need to get our licence before getting a date for it - if we can do things quickly we can launch in September this year, or alternatively we can hold the first event in April 2013. We'll decide which by the end of February."
Tapie also said they will add a second event in Paris or Monaco for early 2013 and if the FTP takeover is completed by then they'll use the Full Tilt software for the events.
Revisit the concept and the scintillating ad here.
3) $1 Million Guarantee at Kennel Club Almost Incites "Riot"
The WSOP and the Palm Beach Kennel Club were hoping the $1 million guarantee, $500 buy-in opening event they dreamed up for the latest WSOPC stop would drum up some attention.
It definitely did. With 2,607 entrants it set a record for the largest poker tournament ever held in Florida and second-biggest turnout in WSOPC history.
It came at a small price though.
According to Nick Sortal of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, players lined up as early as 4 a.m. on Saturday for a spot in the 11 a.m tournament.
Because of the intense demand, things got heated as players argued over spots in line.
Scalpers even started selling the $555 entry tickets for as much as $2,000.
Eventually police had to be called in to calm things down.
"It was the closest thing to a riot in poker as has ever happened," WSOP media rep Nolan Dalla told Sortal.
Once the tension subsided the tournament went on as scheduled and Anh Lu, a 50-year-old nail technician from Bradenton, won the $182,750 first-place payout.
Details on the event and the rest of the WSOPC schedule (it runs until Feb. 27) at the Palm Beach Kennel Club here.
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