Home  Online Poker Poker Strategy Poker Rooms Books & Software Poker Players Poker Tournaments |
|||||
|
|
||||
Technorati: Poker, Online Poker, Poker Tournament, World Series Of Poker, World Poker Tour, Poker Room
(Poker Gazette) -- The 2005 World Series of Poker event is scheduled to begin June 2, 2005 in Las Vegas and an estimated 7,000 players are expected to participate in the $10,000 buy-in, no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event.
The event will be held at the Rio Hotel and Casino from June 3rd to July 15th, with the last two days taking place at Jack Binnions Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas.
The buy-ins for the 2005 WSOP events range from $1,000 to $10,000 and most of the final tables are taped and televised by ESPN.
The World Series of Poker started as an invitational tournament in 1970. Jack Binnion invited the best seven poker players in America to his casino in Las Vegas to decide whom Americas best poker player was. Johnny Moss won the 1970 WSOP title by actually being voted the best player by his playing companions.
The 1971 World Series of poker was played as a freezout tournament, meaning one player had to win all the chips. Thirteen players participated and Johnny Moss won it this time fair and square with some brilliant poker play.
T. J. Cloutier has been the most successful World Series of Poker player over the years and has finished in the money in over 30 events. He has won five first place gold bracelets and finished second twice in the main Championship event of Texas Hold'em.Anyone, regardless of gender or nationality can play in the 2005 WSOP as long as they are 21 years of age and can afford the $10,000 entrance fee. If that is to much for your wallet than there is another way to gain entrance. You can register to play in online World Series of Poker satellite tournaments and with some luck, win a 10,000 seat for only a few bucks!
World Series of Poker has become extremely popular in the recent years. Especially since the 2003 WSOP Championship, when Chris Moneymaker, (yes it is his real name) won 2.5 million dollars after qualifying through a 40 dollar online satellite tournament.
In 2004 there were 2,576 entries for the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em WSOP Championship and the prize money had increased to more than $49 million. Greg Raymer beat 2576 players to win the first price of 5 million dollars for a buy-in stake of $40 which also was won online.
The 2005 World Series of Poker will last for approximately 40 days and an estimated 10,000 poker players from all over the world will compete in more than 30 different poker games. The winner of each event will be awarded a gold bracelet and first place cash prizes ranging from $500,000 to $10,000,000.
2005 WSOP Circuit Events Come to Lake Tahoe
Technorati: Poker, Online Poker, Poker Tournament, World Series Of Poker, World Poker Tour, Poker Room
The World Series of Poker Circuit Tournament is coming very soon to Harveys Lake Tahoe. You might just grab a chance to win millions in cash and a spot in a $2 Million Free-Roll Tournament of Champions! Plus also get the chance to appear on ESPN.
Here's the full Lake Tahoe event schedule:
April 26 - Super Satellites Event; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $200 + $20
April 27 - No-Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $500 + $50April
April 28 - Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $500 + $60April
April 29 - No-Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60April
April 30 - Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60
May 1 - Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60
May 2 - No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60
May 3 - Pot Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $5,000 + $50
May 4 - No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $500 + $50
May 5- No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,500 + $70
May 6 - No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $2,000 + $80
May 7 - LIPS (Ladies No limit) 11 a.m. one-day event; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $200 + $30
No Limit Super Satellite Day
May 8, Sunday: Day 1 - The World Series of Poker No-Limit Hold'em
May 9, Monday: Day 2 - Circuit Championship Event
May 10, Tuesday: Day 3 - No-Limit Texas Hold’em
May 11, Wednesday: Day 4 - ESPN Final Table Coverage
Buy-ins for the No Limit Super Satellite Day events are fixed at $10,000. Single table satellites for all events will run every day, 24 hours a day.Super Satellites ($200 + $20 with re-buys) for the No-Limit Championship Event will run every night at 4p.m. and 8p.m, except Super Satellite Day. The schedule for that day is as follows:
1. 1p.m. $1,000+$60 Mega Satellite (no re-buys)
2. 8p.m. $200+$20 Super Satellite (w/re-buys)
The World Series of Poker Tournament Events Championship will run from June 2-July 15, it features 45 competitions in various poker games with various buy-in amounts. But the jewel event is the No LImit Texas Hold’Em grand championship.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Poker News: Full Tilt to Giveaway $10 Million (maybe)
"Full Tilt would like to give you $10 Million dollars. All you have to do is win your seat to the main event of the World Series of Poker online at Full Tilt Poker. Actually, that's the easy part. Then you have to go out, and win the thing.
In a pretty darn creative stroke of marketing savvy, Full Tilt have announced that they will pay the winner of the main event of the WSOP $10 million if he or she won the seat online at Full Tilt Poker.com. The folks at Full Tilt know this isn't very likely (just from a sheer numbers perspective if nothing else), and I'm sure have also contracted some kind of 'prize insurance' policy from Lloyd's or someone in the rare case that this does happen.
But they do get to say that they are going to give the winner $10 million if they won their seat at Full Tilt, and its great PR. Something tells me those Full Tilt super satellites are going to have a lot more players in them now.
'I know that players have many options when choosing where to win their way into the WSOP Main Event,' said Howard Lederer. 'But with this amazing $10 million incentive, I can't imagine why one would try to win their seat anywhere else, but at Full Tilt?'
This also makes it a little more interesting to follow the course of the folks who won their seats at Full Tilt, and may gave the final table that much more appeal, should one of them make it that far.
Now....what was my Full Tilt password again? "
Technorati: Poker, Online Poker, Poker Tournament, World Series Of Poker, World Poker Tour, Poker Room
Poker News: The Gaming Club Send New Players To The WSOP For Free
The Gaming Club Send New Players To The WSOP For Free: "Many online poker rooms are sending their players off to this years WSOP. With The Gaming Club you could win your seat online for free.
The Gaming Club's WSOP Rookie Freeroll is an ideal opportunity to win your seat at this years WSOP main event. Seats have already been given away but there is still time to claim yours. Remember, you must be a new member of The Gaming Club to take part in the Rookie Freeroll, here's what you need to do:
- Visit The Gaming Club via our special link here
- Register for a real money account and make a deposit
- Accumulate at last 30 WSOP Rookie points by playing in real money ring games
- Join the 3rd WSOP Rookie Freeroll on May 18th
As if the WSOP main event seat wasn't enough, The Gaming Club have put together a whole package for their winners, it includes:
- The $10,000 buy-in
- Accomodation and return airfare
- $500 in spending money
Remember, you can qualify for all this for free, there is no buy-in fee for this tournament. If you just miss out on the seat, don't worry, The Gaming Club will not see you go away empty handed for your efforts, places 2 - 20 will get a cash prize from a $1,500 prizepool.
Join The Gaming Club here and start accumulating those WSOP Rookie points."
Thursday, April 07, 2005
WPT re ups with Travel Channel, and Does Some Executive Shuffling
In two moves that have been expected, the World Poker Tour announced today that it was renewed for a fourth season by the Travel Channel, despite the fact that they are still shooting season three. This move further shows the Travel Channel knows that the WPT is its signature programming, and the network wants uninterrupted continuity for the producers of the cash cow.
"We are thrilled to extend our relationship with The Travel Channel," said WPT Founder, and (see below) newly named CEO of WPT Enterprises, Steve Lipscomb. "Their commitment further reinforces the World Poker Tour as the preeminent brand of poker while maintaining Wednesday night as Poker Night! Together we will continue to build Poker as a mainstream sports sensation."
The WPT ratings have shown no sign of slowing down, and the Travel Channel wasted no time in locking up its prize possession for another season. "The World Poker Tour has demonstrated its ability to resonate with viewers, and we remain confident that the audience will grow over the fourth season," says Dan Russell, VP of Programming at Travel Channel. "The World Poker Tour continues to be a ratings juggernaut, and the extension of our deal with the World Poker Tour will keep the popular weekly series a fixture on the network."
Season four promises even more destinations, and specialty programming from the WPT, as it continues to expand its reach globally.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO
Wed Apr 6, 2005 02:13 PM ET
NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - WPT Enterprises Inc. (WPTE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the creator of the World Poker Tour television show, on Wednesday said it elected co-founder Steve Lipscomb chief executive, replacing Lyle Berman, who became executive chairman.
Berman will remain president of the West Hollywood, California-based company, which develops products based on gaming themes. World Poker Tour airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and in more than 60 markets worldwide. The appointments were effective April 1.
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO - Reuters.com
"Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
"Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
Wednesday April 6, 9:01 am ET
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2005--Pokertropolis , has posted the opening odds for players to win the 37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) finals held at Binion's Horseshoe Casino, July 7-15, and Hollywood A-Lister Ben Affleck is the current favorite to win at 450-1.
Affleck's celebrity poker nemesis, Tobey Maguire, trails him at 500-1. James Woods is at 700-1, just behind Greg 'Fossilman' Raymer, last year's winner, at 600-1. Other notables include: Matthew Perry, Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth, Dennis Rodman, David Schwimmer, Danny Masterson, Chris Masterson, Mena Suvari and Charlie Sheen all at 1,000-1. Interestingly, the giants of the screen are well ahead of the giants of poker: Paul 'Eskimo' Clark is 800-1, Kathy Liebert and Phil Helmuth, Jr., are 900-1, while Annie Duke and Chris Moneymaker have mountains to climb at 1000-1.
David Anthony Williams -- who came second at last year's tournament -- is 1200-1. If there's any consolation, it's that they don't bring up the rear: Larry Flynt will have to hustle all the way through to beat 2000-1 odds. Pokertropolis was the first online poker site to post odds on celebrities in the WSOP finals in 2004. " Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
It's No Bluff, Casino Oscars
TV poker is upping the ante — with an awards show of its own.
The first-ever "Casino Awards" are being prepared for a December debut on cable-channel GSN, according to officials.
The popularity of gambling shows — especially those featuring Texas Hold 'Em, a high-stakes form of poker, and the colorful personalities who play the game professionally — seemed to have made the idea of an award show to honor them inevitable.
The "Casino Awards" will have categories for "casino players, entertainers and gaming-themed programming for television and movies," the announcement says. It is set to air live from Las Vegas.
GSN — formerly the Game Show Network — has been moving away from its initial emphasis on TV game shows like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "The Price Is Right" and concentrating instead on casino-type gambling.
No word yet on how the award winner will be selected. (Poker Gazette)
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Seven Card Studs
Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn poker. Come July, some 6,600 players are expected to enter the main event of the World Series of Poker, generating a $60 million-plus prize pool that dwarfs the purses of the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl and baseball's World Series. Meanwhile, the Army deploys desert-camouflage decks to identify its most-wanted targets. The recent capture of the six of diamonds in Syria reminds us that after the spade ace stonewalled weapons inspectors, our president implied he would call France's bluff in a United Nations vote on whether to respond with military force. ''It's time,'' he said, ''for people to show their cards.'' Poker, after all, has gone hand in hand with pivotal aspects of our history for almost two centuries now. The ways we've used English, done battle and business and explored our vast continent have echoed, and been echoed by, its demand for risk-loving acumen, though our Puritan strain remains nervous about it. Presidents play and billions are wagered online, yet in several states you can still be prosecuted if the stakes exceed pennies or matchsticks. You are breaking the law if you play Texas Hold'em, or any other form of poker, for money in Texas. In 1979, after winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1976 and 1977, Doyle Brunson self-published ''Super/System.'' He and five fellow pros shared lucrative secrets of how to beat the most popular forms, with Brunson himself covering no-limit Hold'em. His lesson? Attack! After that, attack some more. Bludgeon opponents with big pocket pairs, with suited connectors, with nothing. Eyes opened, jaws dropped and hundreds of millions of dollars changed hands as it turned out that poker advice translated remarkably well from the page to the table. Why else would a $100 primer fly out of stores if not for its cutthroat utility? Updating this classic, ''Doyle Brunson's Super System 2'' has the same forceful tone (and the same laid-back grammar and proofreading) as the original. The higher you want to play, the more valuable this book will become. Today's toughest poker games involve a dizzying variety of forms designed to neutralize the edge of, say, an Omaha specialist. The game these authors play requires you to adjust every 15 minutes to radically different hand values and betting rhythms, and to put about $100,000 in action. Bobby Baldwin, the 1978 World Series champion, who originally covered limit Hold'em, here covers Omaha high-low. Limit Hold'em is handled by Jennifer Harman, the world's top female player; stud high-low, by Brunson's son, Todd, who recently won more than $20 million in a head-to-head match; pot-limit Omaha, by Lyle Berman, a member of the Poker Hall of Fame; and triple draw, by Daniel Negreanu, the 2004 player of the year. Brunson pere notes a couple of reasons that Internet poker is a poor substitute for live action (no tells, can't spend winnings immediately) but also lists 22 advantages of playing online. (No. 12: no tipping.) His chapter on no-limit Hold'em reprises the original, with six new pages of tournament tips. (The gist: be conservative early, let it rip later on.) More general wisdom is provided by Steve Zolotow, Johnny Chan and Mike Caro, while Crandell Addington covers the history of no-limit Hold'em and Steven Lipscomb the World Poker Tour. It was Berman and Lipscomb who brought hole-card cameras and grade-A production values to the Travel Channel in March 2003. When ESPN and other networks followed suit, participation in tournaments mushroomed, octupling prize pools and minting up to four new millionaires a month. The game these tiny cameras bring to light was introduced to Las Vegas in the early 1960's. In 1971, Benny Binion chose it for the main event of his World Series, deeming it the stiffest test of poker skill. Combining two face-down hole cards with five community cards, Hold'em players share five-sevenths of their hand with opponents, so the difference between the best and the second-best hand -- all the difference in the world, you might say -- is subtler than in seven-card stud. Stud is also played with fixed bet sizes, while Hold'em, with four betting rounds instead of five, lends itself to a no-limit format, giving experts more leverage to ''steal'' pots without the best hand. Dominated by Texans at first, the World Series has lately crowned champions from all over America, as well as from China, Vietnam, Ireland, Spain and two from Iran. Dan Harrington won in 1995, but this chess and backgammon wizard was just getting started. He played through enormous fields to the final table in both 2003 and 2004, and with ''Harrington on Hold'em,'' he has written the most advanced no-limit Hold'em handbook. Strategically flexible, he recommends trying on loose, tight and superaggressive styles for size, and explains why you'll win the biggest pots when playing in your least favorite mode. A typical section offers funny but telling examples of how novices think about hands, then annotates a long list of questions the pros ask. Where do you sit in relation to the aggressive and passive players? How does your chip stack compare with theirs? How close are you to the money? What are the pot odds? What are your cards? These are only a few of the things to consider before entering a pot, and after the community cards hit the table, things get exponentially trickier. Feeling overwhelmed? ''If this were a short list,'' he writes, ''the game would be much easier, more people would do it well, and fewer players would make any real money. . . . Be glad that it's a tough, rather than an easy thing to do.'' Got that, slackers? THE grain of Harrington's counsel is finer than that of most pokeraticians'. Writing in the tradition of David Sklansky's definitive ''Theory of Poker,'' he deftly unpacks the math and logic of tournament decisions. Success at other games gives him unexpected tactical insights; it also helps that his co-author, Bill Robertie, another chess and backgammon title holder, has written several first-rate primers. Their teacherly approach devotes about half the pages to homework-style problems. At the end of each chapter, the reader is wedged into tight Hold'em corners and forced to think his way out before checking his moves against Harrington's recommendations. If you want to excel in a variety of poker forms and get a taste of the game's recent history, ''Super System 2'' lives up to its nickname: the New Testament. Players concentrating on no-limit Hold'em tournaments should read both books, if only because the competition will. You'll never get your bat on a major-league fastball by perusing how-to books, but once these experts clue you in on how to play a cheap draw late on Day 3 of the Big One, you'll be capable of spiking a straight or a flush and taking down a huge pot from Action Dan Harrington or Texas Dolly Brunson himself, or from anyone. By JAMES MCMANUS
Archives
Technorati: Poker, Online Poker, Poker Tournament, World Series Of Poker, World Poker Tour, Poker Room
The World Series of Poker Circuit Tournament is coming very soon to Harveys Lake Tahoe. You might just grab a chance to win millions in cash and a spot in a $2 Million Free-Roll Tournament of Champions! Plus also get the chance to appear on ESPN.
Here's the full Lake Tahoe event schedule:
April 26 - Super Satellites Event; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $200 + $20
April 27 - No-Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $500 + $50April
April 28 - Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $500 + $60April
April 29 - No-Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60April
April 30 - Limit Hold’em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60
May 1 - Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60
May 2 - No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,000 + $60
May 3 - Pot Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $5,000 + $50
May 4 - No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $500 + $50
May 5- No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $1,500 + $70
May 6 - No Limit Hold ´em; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $2,000 + $80
May 7 - LIPS (Ladies No limit) 11 a.m. one-day event; Buy-in + Entry Fee: $200 + $30
No Limit Super Satellite Day
May 8, Sunday: Day 1 - The World Series of Poker No-Limit Hold'em
May 9, Monday: Day 2 - Circuit Championship Event
May 10, Tuesday: Day 3 - No-Limit Texas Hold’em
May 11, Wednesday: Day 4 - ESPN Final Table Coverage
Buy-ins for the No Limit Super Satellite Day events are fixed at $10,000. Single table satellites for all events will run every day, 24 hours a day.Super Satellites ($200 + $20 with re-buys) for the No-Limit Championship Event will run every night at 4p.m. and 8p.m, except Super Satellite Day. The schedule for that day is as follows:
1. 1p.m. $1,000+$60 Mega Satellite (no re-buys)
2. 8p.m. $200+$20 Super Satellite (w/re-buys)
The World Series of Poker Tournament Events Championship will run from June 2-July 15, it features 45 competitions in various poker games with various buy-in amounts. But the jewel event is the No LImit Texas Hold’Em grand championship.
In a pretty darn creative stroke of marketing savvy, Full Tilt have announced that they will pay the winner of the main event of the WSOP $10 million if he or she won the seat online at Full Tilt Poker.com. The folks at Full Tilt know this isn't very likely (just from a sheer numbers perspective if nothing else), and I'm sure have also contracted some kind of 'prize insurance' policy from Lloyd's or someone in the rare case that this does happen.
But they do get to say that they are going to give the winner $10 million if they won their seat at Full Tilt, and its great PR. Something tells me those Full Tilt super satellites are going to have a lot more players in them now.
'I know that players have many options when choosing where to win their way into the WSOP Main Event,' said Howard Lederer. 'But with this amazing $10 million incentive, I can't imagine why one would try to win their seat anywhere else, but at Full Tilt?'
This also makes it a little more interesting to follow the course of the folks who won their seats at Full Tilt, and may gave the final table that much more appeal, should one of them make it that far.
Now....what was my Full Tilt password again? "
Technorati: Poker, Online Poker, Poker Tournament, World Series Of Poker, World Poker Tour, Poker Room
Poker News: The Gaming Club Send New Players To The WSOP For Free
The Gaming Club Send New Players To The WSOP For Free: "Many online poker rooms are sending their players off to this years WSOP. With The Gaming Club you could win your seat online for free.
The Gaming Club's WSOP Rookie Freeroll is an ideal opportunity to win your seat at this years WSOP main event. Seats have already been given away but there is still time to claim yours. Remember, you must be a new member of The Gaming Club to take part in the Rookie Freeroll, here's what you need to do:
- Visit The Gaming Club via our special link here
- Register for a real money account and make a deposit
- Accumulate at last 30 WSOP Rookie points by playing in real money ring games
- Join the 3rd WSOP Rookie Freeroll on May 18th
As if the WSOP main event seat wasn't enough, The Gaming Club have put together a whole package for their winners, it includes:
- The $10,000 buy-in
- Accomodation and return airfare
- $500 in spending money
Remember, you can qualify for all this for free, there is no buy-in fee for this tournament. If you just miss out on the seat, don't worry, The Gaming Club will not see you go away empty handed for your efforts, places 2 - 20 will get a cash prize from a $1,500 prizepool.
Join The Gaming Club here and start accumulating those WSOP Rookie points."
Thursday, April 07, 2005
WPT re ups with Travel Channel, and Does Some Executive Shuffling
In two moves that have been expected, the World Poker Tour announced today that it was renewed for a fourth season by the Travel Channel, despite the fact that they are still shooting season three. This move further shows the Travel Channel knows that the WPT is its signature programming, and the network wants uninterrupted continuity for the producers of the cash cow.
"We are thrilled to extend our relationship with The Travel Channel," said WPT Founder, and (see below) newly named CEO of WPT Enterprises, Steve Lipscomb. "Their commitment further reinforces the World Poker Tour as the preeminent brand of poker while maintaining Wednesday night as Poker Night! Together we will continue to build Poker as a mainstream sports sensation."
The WPT ratings have shown no sign of slowing down, and the Travel Channel wasted no time in locking up its prize possession for another season. "The World Poker Tour has demonstrated its ability to resonate with viewers, and we remain confident that the audience will grow over the fourth season," says Dan Russell, VP of Programming at Travel Channel. "The World Poker Tour continues to be a ratings juggernaut, and the extension of our deal with the World Poker Tour will keep the popular weekly series a fixture on the network."
Season four promises even more destinations, and specialty programming from the WPT, as it continues to expand its reach globally.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO
Wed Apr 6, 2005 02:13 PM ET
NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - WPT Enterprises Inc. (WPTE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the creator of the World Poker Tour television show, on Wednesday said it elected co-founder Steve Lipscomb chief executive, replacing Lyle Berman, who became executive chairman.
Berman will remain president of the West Hollywood, California-based company, which develops products based on gaming themes. World Poker Tour airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and in more than 60 markets worldwide. The appointments were effective April 1.
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO - Reuters.com
"Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
"Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
Wednesday April 6, 9:01 am ET
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2005--Pokertropolis , has posted the opening odds for players to win the 37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) finals held at Binion's Horseshoe Casino, July 7-15, and Hollywood A-Lister Ben Affleck is the current favorite to win at 450-1.
Affleck's celebrity poker nemesis, Tobey Maguire, trails him at 500-1. James Woods is at 700-1, just behind Greg 'Fossilman' Raymer, last year's winner, at 600-1. Other notables include: Matthew Perry, Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth, Dennis Rodman, David Schwimmer, Danny Masterson, Chris Masterson, Mena Suvari and Charlie Sheen all at 1,000-1. Interestingly, the giants of the screen are well ahead of the giants of poker: Paul 'Eskimo' Clark is 800-1, Kathy Liebert and Phil Helmuth, Jr., are 900-1, while Annie Duke and Chris Moneymaker have mountains to climb at 1000-1.
David Anthony Williams -- who came second at last year's tournament -- is 1200-1. If there's any consolation, it's that they don't bring up the rear: Larry Flynt will have to hustle all the way through to beat 2000-1 odds. Pokertropolis was the first online poker site to post odds on celebrities in the WSOP finals in 2004. " Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
It's No Bluff, Casino Oscars
TV poker is upping the ante — with an awards show of its own.
The first-ever "Casino Awards" are being prepared for a December debut on cable-channel GSN, according to officials.
The popularity of gambling shows — especially those featuring Texas Hold 'Em, a high-stakes form of poker, and the colorful personalities who play the game professionally — seemed to have made the idea of an award show to honor them inevitable.
The "Casino Awards" will have categories for "casino players, entertainers and gaming-themed programming for television and movies," the announcement says. It is set to air live from Las Vegas.
GSN — formerly the Game Show Network — has been moving away from its initial emphasis on TV game shows like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "The Price Is Right" and concentrating instead on casino-type gambling.
No word yet on how the award winner will be selected. (Poker Gazette)
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Seven Card Studs
Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn poker. Come July, some 6,600 players are expected to enter the main event of the World Series of Poker, generating a $60 million-plus prize pool that dwarfs the purses of the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl and baseball's World Series. Meanwhile, the Army deploys desert-camouflage decks to identify its most-wanted targets. The recent capture of the six of diamonds in Syria reminds us that after the spade ace stonewalled weapons inspectors, our president implied he would call France's bluff in a United Nations vote on whether to respond with military force. ''It's time,'' he said, ''for people to show their cards.'' Poker, after all, has gone hand in hand with pivotal aspects of our history for almost two centuries now. The ways we've used English, done battle and business and explored our vast continent have echoed, and been echoed by, its demand for risk-loving acumen, though our Puritan strain remains nervous about it. Presidents play and billions are wagered online, yet in several states you can still be prosecuted if the stakes exceed pennies or matchsticks. You are breaking the law if you play Texas Hold'em, or any other form of poker, for money in Texas. In 1979, after winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1976 and 1977, Doyle Brunson self-published ''Super/System.'' He and five fellow pros shared lucrative secrets of how to beat the most popular forms, with Brunson himself covering no-limit Hold'em. His lesson? Attack! After that, attack some more. Bludgeon opponents with big pocket pairs, with suited connectors, with nothing. Eyes opened, jaws dropped and hundreds of millions of dollars changed hands as it turned out that poker advice translated remarkably well from the page to the table. Why else would a $100 primer fly out of stores if not for its cutthroat utility? Updating this classic, ''Doyle Brunson's Super System 2'' has the same forceful tone (and the same laid-back grammar and proofreading) as the original. The higher you want to play, the more valuable this book will become. Today's toughest poker games involve a dizzying variety of forms designed to neutralize the edge of, say, an Omaha specialist. The game these authors play requires you to adjust every 15 minutes to radically different hand values and betting rhythms, and to put about $100,000 in action. Bobby Baldwin, the 1978 World Series champion, who originally covered limit Hold'em, here covers Omaha high-low. Limit Hold'em is handled by Jennifer Harman, the world's top female player; stud high-low, by Brunson's son, Todd, who recently won more than $20 million in a head-to-head match; pot-limit Omaha, by Lyle Berman, a member of the Poker Hall of Fame; and triple draw, by Daniel Negreanu, the 2004 player of the year. Brunson pere notes a couple of reasons that Internet poker is a poor substitute for live action (no tells, can't spend winnings immediately) but also lists 22 advantages of playing online. (No. 12: no tipping.) His chapter on no-limit Hold'em reprises the original, with six new pages of tournament tips. (The gist: be conservative early, let it rip later on.) More general wisdom is provided by Steve Zolotow, Johnny Chan and Mike Caro, while Crandell Addington covers the history of no-limit Hold'em and Steven Lipscomb the World Poker Tour. It was Berman and Lipscomb who brought hole-card cameras and grade-A production values to the Travel Channel in March 2003. When ESPN and other networks followed suit, participation in tournaments mushroomed, octupling prize pools and minting up to four new millionaires a month. The game these tiny cameras bring to light was introduced to Las Vegas in the early 1960's. In 1971, Benny Binion chose it for the main event of his World Series, deeming it the stiffest test of poker skill. Combining two face-down hole cards with five community cards, Hold'em players share five-sevenths of their hand with opponents, so the difference between the best and the second-best hand -- all the difference in the world, you might say -- is subtler than in seven-card stud. Stud is also played with fixed bet sizes, while Hold'em, with four betting rounds instead of five, lends itself to a no-limit format, giving experts more leverage to ''steal'' pots without the best hand. Dominated by Texans at first, the World Series has lately crowned champions from all over America, as well as from China, Vietnam, Ireland, Spain and two from Iran. Dan Harrington won in 1995, but this chess and backgammon wizard was just getting started. He played through enormous fields to the final table in both 2003 and 2004, and with ''Harrington on Hold'em,'' he has written the most advanced no-limit Hold'em handbook. Strategically flexible, he recommends trying on loose, tight and superaggressive styles for size, and explains why you'll win the biggest pots when playing in your least favorite mode. A typical section offers funny but telling examples of how novices think about hands, then annotates a long list of questions the pros ask. Where do you sit in relation to the aggressive and passive players? How does your chip stack compare with theirs? How close are you to the money? What are the pot odds? What are your cards? These are only a few of the things to consider before entering a pot, and after the community cards hit the table, things get exponentially trickier. Feeling overwhelmed? ''If this were a short list,'' he writes, ''the game would be much easier, more people would do it well, and fewer players would make any real money. . . . Be glad that it's a tough, rather than an easy thing to do.'' Got that, slackers? THE grain of Harrington's counsel is finer than that of most pokeraticians'. Writing in the tradition of David Sklansky's definitive ''Theory of Poker,'' he deftly unpacks the math and logic of tournament decisions. Success at other games gives him unexpected tactical insights; it also helps that his co-author, Bill Robertie, another chess and backgammon title holder, has written several first-rate primers. Their teacherly approach devotes about half the pages to homework-style problems. At the end of each chapter, the reader is wedged into tight Hold'em corners and forced to think his way out before checking his moves against Harrington's recommendations. If you want to excel in a variety of poker forms and get a taste of the game's recent history, ''Super System 2'' lives up to its nickname: the New Testament. Players concentrating on no-limit Hold'em tournaments should read both books, if only because the competition will. You'll never get your bat on a major-league fastball by perusing how-to books, but once these experts clue you in on how to play a cheap draw late on Day 3 of the Big One, you'll be capable of spiking a straight or a flush and taking down a huge pot from Action Dan Harrington or Texas Dolly Brunson himself, or from anyone. By JAMES MCMANUS
Archives
The Gaming Club's WSOP Rookie Freeroll is an ideal opportunity to win your seat at this years WSOP main event. Seats have already been given away but there is still time to claim yours. Remember, you must be a new member of The Gaming Club to take part in the Rookie Freeroll, here's what you need to do:
- Visit The Gaming Club via our special link here
- Register for a real money account and make a deposit
- Accumulate at last 30 WSOP Rookie points by playing in real money ring games
- Join the 3rd WSOP Rookie Freeroll on May 18th
As if the WSOP main event seat wasn't enough, The Gaming Club have put together a whole package for their winners, it includes:
- The $10,000 buy-in
- Accomodation and return airfare
- $500 in spending money
Remember, you can qualify for all this for free, there is no buy-in fee for this tournament. If you just miss out on the seat, don't worry, The Gaming Club will not see you go away empty handed for your efforts, places 2 - 20 will get a cash prize from a $1,500 prizepool.
Join The Gaming Club here and start accumulating those WSOP Rookie points."
In two moves that have been expected, the World Poker Tour announced today that it was renewed for a fourth season by the Travel Channel, despite the fact that they are still shooting season three. This move further shows the Travel Channel knows that the WPT is its signature programming, and the network wants uninterrupted continuity for the producers of the cash cow.
"We are thrilled to extend our relationship with The Travel Channel," said WPT Founder, and (see below) newly named CEO of WPT Enterprises, Steve Lipscomb. "Their commitment further reinforces the World Poker Tour as the preeminent brand of poker while maintaining Wednesday night as Poker Night! Together we will continue to build Poker as a mainstream sports sensation."
The WPT ratings have shown no sign of slowing down, and the Travel Channel wasted no time in locking up its prize possession for another season. "The World Poker Tour has demonstrated its ability to resonate with viewers, and we remain confident that the audience will grow over the fourth season," says Dan Russell, VP of Programming at Travel Channel. "The World Poker Tour continues to be a ratings juggernaut, and the extension of our deal with the World Poker Tour will keep the popular weekly series a fixture on the network."
Season four promises even more destinations, and specialty programming from the WPT, as it continues to expand its reach globally.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO
Wed Apr 6, 2005 02:13 PM ET
NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - WPT Enterprises Inc. (WPTE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the creator of the World Poker Tour television show, on Wednesday said it elected co-founder Steve Lipscomb chief executive, replacing Lyle Berman, who became executive chairman.
Berman will remain president of the West Hollywood, California-based company, which develops products based on gaming themes. World Poker Tour airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and in more than 60 markets worldwide. The appointments were effective April 1.
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO - Reuters.com
"Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
"Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
Wednesday April 6, 9:01 am ET
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2005--Pokertropolis , has posted the opening odds for players to win the 37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) finals held at Binion's Horseshoe Casino, July 7-15, and Hollywood A-Lister Ben Affleck is the current favorite to win at 450-1.
Affleck's celebrity poker nemesis, Tobey Maguire, trails him at 500-1. James Woods is at 700-1, just behind Greg 'Fossilman' Raymer, last year's winner, at 600-1. Other notables include: Matthew Perry, Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth, Dennis Rodman, David Schwimmer, Danny Masterson, Chris Masterson, Mena Suvari and Charlie Sheen all at 1,000-1. Interestingly, the giants of the screen are well ahead of the giants of poker: Paul 'Eskimo' Clark is 800-1, Kathy Liebert and Phil Helmuth, Jr., are 900-1, while Annie Duke and Chris Moneymaker have mountains to climb at 1000-1.
David Anthony Williams -- who came second at last year's tournament -- is 1200-1. If there's any consolation, it's that they don't bring up the rear: Larry Flynt will have to hustle all the way through to beat 2000-1 odds. Pokertropolis was the first online poker site to post odds on celebrities in the WSOP finals in 2004. " Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
It's No Bluff, Casino Oscars
TV poker is upping the ante — with an awards show of its own.
The first-ever "Casino Awards" are being prepared for a December debut on cable-channel GSN, according to officials.
The popularity of gambling shows — especially those featuring Texas Hold 'Em, a high-stakes form of poker, and the colorful personalities who play the game professionally — seemed to have made the idea of an award show to honor them inevitable.
The "Casino Awards" will have categories for "casino players, entertainers and gaming-themed programming for television and movies," the announcement says. It is set to air live from Las Vegas.
GSN — formerly the Game Show Network — has been moving away from its initial emphasis on TV game shows like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "The Price Is Right" and concentrating instead on casino-type gambling.
No word yet on how the award winner will be selected. (Poker Gazette)
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Seven Card Studs
Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn poker. Come July, some 6,600 players are expected to enter the main event of the World Series of Poker, generating a $60 million-plus prize pool that dwarfs the purses of the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl and baseball's World Series. Meanwhile, the Army deploys desert-camouflage decks to identify its most-wanted targets. The recent capture of the six of diamonds in Syria reminds us that after the spade ace stonewalled weapons inspectors, our president implied he would call France's bluff in a United Nations vote on whether to respond with military force. ''It's time,'' he said, ''for people to show their cards.'' Poker, after all, has gone hand in hand with pivotal aspects of our history for almost two centuries now. The ways we've used English, done battle and business and explored our vast continent have echoed, and been echoed by, its demand for risk-loving acumen, though our Puritan strain remains nervous about it. Presidents play and billions are wagered online, yet in several states you can still be prosecuted if the stakes exceed pennies or matchsticks. You are breaking the law if you play Texas Hold'em, or any other form of poker, for money in Texas. In 1979, after winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1976 and 1977, Doyle Brunson self-published ''Super/System.'' He and five fellow pros shared lucrative secrets of how to beat the most popular forms, with Brunson himself covering no-limit Hold'em. His lesson? Attack! After that, attack some more. Bludgeon opponents with big pocket pairs, with suited connectors, with nothing. Eyes opened, jaws dropped and hundreds of millions of dollars changed hands as it turned out that poker advice translated remarkably well from the page to the table. Why else would a $100 primer fly out of stores if not for its cutthroat utility? Updating this classic, ''Doyle Brunson's Super System 2'' has the same forceful tone (and the same laid-back grammar and proofreading) as the original. The higher you want to play, the more valuable this book will become. Today's toughest poker games involve a dizzying variety of forms designed to neutralize the edge of, say, an Omaha specialist. The game these authors play requires you to adjust every 15 minutes to radically different hand values and betting rhythms, and to put about $100,000 in action. Bobby Baldwin, the 1978 World Series champion, who originally covered limit Hold'em, here covers Omaha high-low. Limit Hold'em is handled by Jennifer Harman, the world's top female player; stud high-low, by Brunson's son, Todd, who recently won more than $20 million in a head-to-head match; pot-limit Omaha, by Lyle Berman, a member of the Poker Hall of Fame; and triple draw, by Daniel Negreanu, the 2004 player of the year. Brunson pere notes a couple of reasons that Internet poker is a poor substitute for live action (no tells, can't spend winnings immediately) but also lists 22 advantages of playing online. (No. 12: no tipping.) His chapter on no-limit Hold'em reprises the original, with six new pages of tournament tips. (The gist: be conservative early, let it rip later on.) More general wisdom is provided by Steve Zolotow, Johnny Chan and Mike Caro, while Crandell Addington covers the history of no-limit Hold'em and Steven Lipscomb the World Poker Tour. It was Berman and Lipscomb who brought hole-card cameras and grade-A production values to the Travel Channel in March 2003. When ESPN and other networks followed suit, participation in tournaments mushroomed, octupling prize pools and minting up to four new millionaires a month. The game these tiny cameras bring to light was introduced to Las Vegas in the early 1960's. In 1971, Benny Binion chose it for the main event of his World Series, deeming it the stiffest test of poker skill. Combining two face-down hole cards with five community cards, Hold'em players share five-sevenths of their hand with opponents, so the difference between the best and the second-best hand -- all the difference in the world, you might say -- is subtler than in seven-card stud. Stud is also played with fixed bet sizes, while Hold'em, with four betting rounds instead of five, lends itself to a no-limit format, giving experts more leverage to ''steal'' pots without the best hand. Dominated by Texans at first, the World Series has lately crowned champions from all over America, as well as from China, Vietnam, Ireland, Spain and two from Iran. Dan Harrington won in 1995, but this chess and backgammon wizard was just getting started. He played through enormous fields to the final table in both 2003 and 2004, and with ''Harrington on Hold'em,'' he has written the most advanced no-limit Hold'em handbook. Strategically flexible, he recommends trying on loose, tight and superaggressive styles for size, and explains why you'll win the biggest pots when playing in your least favorite mode. A typical section offers funny but telling examples of how novices think about hands, then annotates a long list of questions the pros ask. Where do you sit in relation to the aggressive and passive players? How does your chip stack compare with theirs? How close are you to the money? What are the pot odds? What are your cards? These are only a few of the things to consider before entering a pot, and after the community cards hit the table, things get exponentially trickier. Feeling overwhelmed? ''If this were a short list,'' he writes, ''the game would be much easier, more people would do it well, and fewer players would make any real money. . . . Be glad that it's a tough, rather than an easy thing to do.'' Got that, slackers? THE grain of Harrington's counsel is finer than that of most pokeraticians'. Writing in the tradition of David Sklansky's definitive ''Theory of Poker,'' he deftly unpacks the math and logic of tournament decisions. Success at other games gives him unexpected tactical insights; it also helps that his co-author, Bill Robertie, another chess and backgammon title holder, has written several first-rate primers. Their teacherly approach devotes about half the pages to homework-style problems. At the end of each chapter, the reader is wedged into tight Hold'em corners and forced to think his way out before checking his moves against Harrington's recommendations. If you want to excel in a variety of poker forms and get a taste of the game's recent history, ''Super System 2'' lives up to its nickname: the New Testament. Players concentrating on no-limit Hold'em tournaments should read both books, if only because the competition will. You'll never get your bat on a major-league fastball by perusing how-to books, but once these experts clue you in on how to play a cheap draw late on Day 3 of the Big One, you'll be capable of spiking a straight or a flush and taking down a huge pot from Action Dan Harrington or Texas Dolly Brunson himself, or from anyone. By JAMES MCMANUS
Archives
Wed Apr 6, 2005 02:13 PM ET
NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - WPT Enterprises Inc. (WPTE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the creator of the World Poker Tour television show, on Wednesday said it elected co-founder Steve Lipscomb chief executive, replacing Lyle Berman, who became executive chairman.
Berman will remain president of the West Hollywood, California-based company, which develops products based on gaming themes. World Poker Tour airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and in more than 60 markets worldwide. The appointments were effective April 1.
WPT, creator of World Poker Tour, names CEO - Reuters.com
Wednesday April 6, 9:01 am ET
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2005--Pokertropolis , has posted the opening odds for players to win the 37th World Series of Poker (WSOP) finals held at Binion's Horseshoe Casino, July 7-15, and Hollywood A-Lister Ben Affleck is the current favorite to win at 450-1.
Affleck's celebrity poker nemesis, Tobey Maguire, trails him at 500-1. James Woods is at 700-1, just behind Greg 'Fossilman' Raymer, last year's winner, at 600-1. Other notables include: Matthew Perry, Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth, Dennis Rodman, David Schwimmer, Danny Masterson, Chris Masterson, Mena Suvari and Charlie Sheen all at 1,000-1. Interestingly, the giants of the screen are well ahead of the giants of poker: Paul 'Eskimo' Clark is 800-1, Kathy Liebert and Phil Helmuth, Jr., are 900-1, while Annie Duke and Chris Moneymaker have mountains to climb at 1000-1.
David Anthony Williams -- who came second at last year's tournament -- is 1200-1. If there's any consolation, it's that they don't bring up the rear: Larry Flynt will have to hustle all the way through to beat 2000-1 odds. Pokertropolis was the first online poker site to post odds on celebrities in the WSOP finals in 2004. " Hollywood Takes on Poker: A-Listers Affleck, Maguire Set Sights on Final Table
It's No Bluff, Casino Oscars
TV poker is upping the ante — with an awards show of its own.
The first-ever "Casino Awards" are being prepared for a December debut on cable-channel GSN, according to officials.
The popularity of gambling shows — especially those featuring Texas Hold 'Em, a high-stakes form of poker, and the colorful personalities who play the game professionally — seemed to have made the idea of an award show to honor them inevitable.
The "Casino Awards" will have categories for "casino players, entertainers and gaming-themed programming for television and movies," the announcement says. It is set to air live from Las Vegas.
GSN — formerly the Game Show Network — has been moving away from its initial emphasis on TV game shows like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "The Price Is Right" and concentrating instead on casino-type gambling.
No word yet on how the award winner will be selected. (Poker Gazette)
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Seven Card Studs
Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn poker. Come July, some 6,600 players are expected to enter the main event of the World Series of Poker, generating a $60 million-plus prize pool that dwarfs the purses of the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl and baseball's World Series. Meanwhile, the Army deploys desert-camouflage decks to identify its most-wanted targets. The recent capture of the six of diamonds in Syria reminds us that after the spade ace stonewalled weapons inspectors, our president implied he would call France's bluff in a United Nations vote on whether to respond with military force. ''It's time,'' he said, ''for people to show their cards.'' Poker, after all, has gone hand in hand with pivotal aspects of our history for almost two centuries now. The ways we've used English, done battle and business and explored our vast continent have echoed, and been echoed by, its demand for risk-loving acumen, though our Puritan strain remains nervous about it. Presidents play and billions are wagered online, yet in several states you can still be prosecuted if the stakes exceed pennies or matchsticks. You are breaking the law if you play Texas Hold'em, or any other form of poker, for money in Texas. In 1979, after winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1976 and 1977, Doyle Brunson self-published ''Super/System.'' He and five fellow pros shared lucrative secrets of how to beat the most popular forms, with Brunson himself covering no-limit Hold'em. His lesson? Attack! After that, attack some more. Bludgeon opponents with big pocket pairs, with suited connectors, with nothing. Eyes opened, jaws dropped and hundreds of millions of dollars changed hands as it turned out that poker advice translated remarkably well from the page to the table. Why else would a $100 primer fly out of stores if not for its cutthroat utility? Updating this classic, ''Doyle Brunson's Super System 2'' has the same forceful tone (and the same laid-back grammar and proofreading) as the original. The higher you want to play, the more valuable this book will become. Today's toughest poker games involve a dizzying variety of forms designed to neutralize the edge of, say, an Omaha specialist. The game these authors play requires you to adjust every 15 minutes to radically different hand values and betting rhythms, and to put about $100,000 in action. Bobby Baldwin, the 1978 World Series champion, who originally covered limit Hold'em, here covers Omaha high-low. Limit Hold'em is handled by Jennifer Harman, the world's top female player; stud high-low, by Brunson's son, Todd, who recently won more than $20 million in a head-to-head match; pot-limit Omaha, by Lyle Berman, a member of the Poker Hall of Fame; and triple draw, by Daniel Negreanu, the 2004 player of the year. Brunson pere notes a couple of reasons that Internet poker is a poor substitute for live action (no tells, can't spend winnings immediately) but also lists 22 advantages of playing online. (No. 12: no tipping.) His chapter on no-limit Hold'em reprises the original, with six new pages of tournament tips. (The gist: be conservative early, let it rip later on.) More general wisdom is provided by Steve Zolotow, Johnny Chan and Mike Caro, while Crandell Addington covers the history of no-limit Hold'em and Steven Lipscomb the World Poker Tour. It was Berman and Lipscomb who brought hole-card cameras and grade-A production values to the Travel Channel in March 2003. When ESPN and other networks followed suit, participation in tournaments mushroomed, octupling prize pools and minting up to four new millionaires a month. The game these tiny cameras bring to light was introduced to Las Vegas in the early 1960's. In 1971, Benny Binion chose it for the main event of his World Series, deeming it the stiffest test of poker skill. Combining two face-down hole cards with five community cards, Hold'em players share five-sevenths of their hand with opponents, so the difference between the best and the second-best hand -- all the difference in the world, you might say -- is subtler than in seven-card stud. Stud is also played with fixed bet sizes, while Hold'em, with four betting rounds instead of five, lends itself to a no-limit format, giving experts more leverage to ''steal'' pots without the best hand. Dominated by Texans at first, the World Series has lately crowned champions from all over America, as well as from China, Vietnam, Ireland, Spain and two from Iran. Dan Harrington won in 1995, but this chess and backgammon wizard was just getting started. He played through enormous fields to the final table in both 2003 and 2004, and with ''Harrington on Hold'em,'' he has written the most advanced no-limit Hold'em handbook. Strategically flexible, he recommends trying on loose, tight and superaggressive styles for size, and explains why you'll win the biggest pots when playing in your least favorite mode. A typical section offers funny but telling examples of how novices think about hands, then annotates a long list of questions the pros ask. Where do you sit in relation to the aggressive and passive players? How does your chip stack compare with theirs? How close are you to the money? What are the pot odds? What are your cards? These are only a few of the things to consider before entering a pot, and after the community cards hit the table, things get exponentially trickier. Feeling overwhelmed? ''If this were a short list,'' he writes, ''the game would be much easier, more people would do it well, and fewer players would make any real money. . . . Be glad that it's a tough, rather than an easy thing to do.'' Got that, slackers? THE grain of Harrington's counsel is finer than that of most pokeraticians'. Writing in the tradition of David Sklansky's definitive ''Theory of Poker,'' he deftly unpacks the math and logic of tournament decisions. Success at other games gives him unexpected tactical insights; it also helps that his co-author, Bill Robertie, another chess and backgammon title holder, has written several first-rate primers. Their teacherly approach devotes about half the pages to homework-style problems. At the end of each chapter, the reader is wedged into tight Hold'em corners and forced to think his way out before checking his moves against Harrington's recommendations. If you want to excel in a variety of poker forms and get a taste of the game's recent history, ''Super System 2'' lives up to its nickname: the New Testament. Players concentrating on no-limit Hold'em tournaments should read both books, if only because the competition will. You'll never get your bat on a major-league fastball by perusing how-to books, but once these experts clue you in on how to play a cheap draw late on Day 3 of the Big One, you'll be capable of spiking a straight or a flush and taking down a huge pot from Action Dan Harrington or Texas Dolly Brunson himself, or from anyone. By JAMES MCMANUS
Archives
The first-ever "Casino Awards" are being prepared for a December debut on cable-channel GSN, according to officials.
The popularity of gambling shows — especially those featuring Texas Hold 'Em, a high-stakes form of poker, and the colorful personalities who play the game professionally — seemed to have made the idea of an award show to honor them inevitable.
The "Casino Awards" will have categories for "casino players, entertainers and gaming-themed programming for television and movies," the announcement says. It is set to air live from Las Vegas.
GSN — formerly the Game Show Network — has been moving away from its initial emphasis on TV game shows like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "The Price Is Right" and concentrating instead on casino-type gambling.
No word yet on how the award winner will be selected. (Poker Gazette)
