This list falls into the latter category.
On the In List this week is an eloquent defense of regulated online poker via TechCrunch, two poker pros who played in a non-poker tournament and the very questionable future of the Global Poker Index.
On the Outs is a person who got a little carried away trying to pay back his gambling debts and one cult favorite in the poker world who’s not getting his dues.
Buckle up, this is the In and Out List.
Poker’s In List: February 24 – March 4, 2012
TechCrunch Talking Legalized US Online Poker: IN
Even though Andrew Keen of TechCrunch has been an outspoken opponent of online gaming, he does realize that not everyone shares his opinion.
Keen had Richard Bronson of U.S. Digital Gaming, a company that offers online poker software solutions, on the show to answer the question, “Why should the US government legalize and regulate online poker?”
Bronson has a vested interest in poker getting regulated in the US, sure, but he's also got a very simple explanation for why it makes sense for everyone.
Check out the full interview right here.
Magic the Gathering Tournaments: IN
Adam “Roothlus” Levy and PokerStars pro David Williams were both playing a tournament this weekend, but it wasn’t poker.
Entering the $40 Magic the Gathering Grand Prix in Seattle, Neither Williams nor Roothlus made it deep.
It’s too bad, since the $40 event awarded a whopping $3,500 to first place!
Despite the tiny price tag, the event still got Williams fired up. He tweets:
@dwpoker 3-0 at #gpseatac with a decent sealed deck. Need 7 wins to make day 2.
I guess that’s probably more intelligible to the average person than saying he three-bet jammed ten BBs from oop to go broke on the bubble, but we’re still not sure what he’s talking about.
The Global Poker Index: IN?
With the recent announcement that Federated Sports + Gaming has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, our first reaction was to jettison the Global Poker Index completely. But that would be hasty.
Sure, Epic Poker made promises they couldn’t keep, and were less than up front about. I mean, Annie Duke and Epic ethics committee head Stephen Martin took the time to tell us all about the future of Epic Poker, just two weeks before announcing their insolvency.
But the Global Poker Index is a good product, and shouldn’t necessarily be relegated to the history books like FS+G’s other product, the Epic Poker League.
Annie Duke even went so far as to say that despite filing Chapter 11, FS+G is still committed to running the Index, and their Player of the Year race.
And you know from her record, when Annie Duke commits to something, nothing could possibly go wrong.
In GPI news Jason Mercier continues his stranglehold on the number one spot.
Poker’s Out List: February 24 – March 4, 2012
Murder as a Debt Repayment Plan: OUT
It was roughly a year ago when pro poker player Ernie Scherer was found guilty of the murder of his parents, allegedly to pay back debts accumulated gambling.
It took a full year but CBS aired the episode of 48 Hours that focuses on the case.
Scherer was a regular on the live circuit and made a WSOP final table in 2006. He had about $340,000 in lifetime earnings, but was found to have huge debts to casinos he hoped to pay with his inheritance.
Check out the full episode below.
Allen Kessler for Bay 101 Shooting Star Bounty: OUT
Allen Kessler disguised as a forum poster Some friendly Two Plus Two users put forward the idea that Allen Kessler should be included as a bounty player at the WPT Shooting Star event at Bay 101 tomorrow.
Shockingly, even an impromptu petition on an internet message board couldn’t get the Chainsaw added to the list of Shooting Stars.
We’re baffled.
Kessler even chimed in on the thread, saying if anything he should have been included in 2011, not this year.
Leave it to Kessler to be a nit even when people are trying to help him freeroll in a $10,000 event.
Keep an eye on our Poker News section for daily updates from the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star main event.
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