Poker Strategies

Ivey poker strategy earns him 1.6 million dollars

2005-11-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

POKER PLAYER WINS US $ 1.6 MILLION IN TWO DAYS

Phil Ivey truimphs again

Hardly has the previous day's excitement over his million dollar win in the Prima Monte Carlo Millions died down at the weekend, when consummate poker champ Phil Ivey was in the news with another big win - this one in the Full Tilt Poker Invitational in Monte Carlo.

Televised live by Fox News, the seven champion players sat down to business at midnight local time to make the US evening live TV shows, with comperes Howard "The Professor" Lederer and Barry Tompkins.

Advanced technology was deployed in the tournament, with microchips implanted on the cards so that a computer could read each hand. In another innovation, percentages were displayed along with the cards in play. Allied to the highly professional camera work that viewers have now come to expect from these big money tournaments, it gave the show real edge and plenty of class.

The champs around the table were David "Devilfish" Ulliot, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, Phil Helmuth, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Gus "The Great Dane" Hansen, John Juanda and Phil Ivey.

Poker strategy makes Ivey a winner

2005-11-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

MONTE-CARLO, Monaco (PRWEB)- Phil Ivey beat out British player Paul Jackson to win the 2005 Monte Carlo Millions (www.montecarlomillions.com). Ivey took home $1 million and the coveted championship title of the first poker tournament to ever be held in the illustrious Casino de Monte-Carlo. The tournament will be broadcast across the U.S. on FSN and internationally through its broadcast partners in early 2006.

"It was nice to be a part of this and to play here was amazing. I'm looking forward to coming back next year and defending my title. This has been a superb tournament," glowed Ivey.

Poker strategies in the radio

2005-11-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

November 1, 2005 - A new radio show is hitting the airwaves every Monday night at 9pm EST, dedicated to the world of one the fastest growing games around, poker. The “Joe Average Poker Show," on channel 122 for Sirius Satellite Radio subscribers, launched in June of this year. The marketing director, Mark Siebert, says the show has a basic format and goes beyond just talking with poker players."We don’t just go to the people who play; we try to get real in depth with the people involved in poker," Seibert says. "It’s for anyone who wants to understand the poker world."Last week Roy Cooke was a guest on the show, and in September it was Lou Krieger, both writers for Card Player Magazine. Politicians are getting in on the act as well, such as North Dakota House Representative James Kasper, discussing poker and politics.

Poker strategy to raise funds

2005-10-31T12:45:00.000-08:00

October 31, 2005Camp Fire USA, Texoma Council is hosting a "Texas Hold 'Em for Texoma Youth" poker night Nov. 12. The fundraiser will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 2027 South Austin Avenue in Denison."This is something new for us as a fundraiser," said Sandra Ashby, Camp Administrator." Poker is very popular and it sounds like it will be a lot of fun. We hope the public will join us for our first annual Texas Hold Em for Texas Youth' poker night. Not only will it be a fun night, but it will benefit the area's children as well. You just can't lose by being a part of this!"All poker proceeds from the $50 buy-in will benefit Camp Fire USA's youth programs such as "Baby Think It Over," club programming and outdoor education for Texoma youth. Participants must be 21 years old.Registration begins at 6 p.m. Games begin at 7 p.m., and prizes are guaranteed to the top three finishers.Refreshments will be served.To register or for more information regarding this poker event call the Camp Fire USA office at (903) 465-2790.

Poker winning strategy for Foxwoods Casino

2005-10-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

MASHANTUCKET--The American poker craze is far from over. Just ask Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Foxwoods officials announced Wednesday the casino will expand and upgrade its poker room with a nearly 50 percent increase in poker tables. The expansion, which will bring the table total to 114, is scheduled to open next spring.

The announcement comes as the casino begins hosting the World Poker Finals today, where diehard gamblers and hopeful poker players already have begun signing up for buy-in satellite tournaments. Foxwoods hosts televised poker tournament events with million-dollar stakes each year, in addition to its smaller weekly tournaments.

Kathy Raymond, director of poker operations, said Foxwoods has been discussing a poker expansion for "a while," after observing the growth of the poker industry. The poker room will increase by one-third after it trades floor space with 650 slot machines directly below it.

On weekends, the poker room's 76, 10-seat tables are at about 100 percent capacity, Mark Rathbun, poker room day shift manager, said. Weekday capacity runs about 85 percent. In a typical 8-hour work shift, Rathbun sees about 2,000 players in the poker room.

The new smoke-free room and tables will be designed to accommodate more players and ease game sign-up lines. New poker tables will include technological upgrades such as LED table components, automatic card shufflers and electronic seat monitoring system to speed the seat turnover rate.

Foxwoods is now the only poker venue in New England, casino officials said. Mohegan Sun replaced its 39 poker tables with slot machines in 2003.

Man uses sound poker strategy, wins $70k

2005-10-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

October 19, 2005

A poker player from Bermuda gave some of the top names in the high stakes poker game a run for their chips when he made it to the final table of the US Poker Championships .

Chris Furbert finished in sixth place in the No Limit Texas Hold'em event held in Atlantic City - winning a whopping $76,387.

He was one of nine poker players to survive from the starting field of 225 who were all playing for a first prize of $831,532.

Lady Luck seemed to be on Mr. Furbert's side as he took seat number three at the final table on October 9 with a starting chip count of 443,000.

But despite some spirited poker play , he was knocked out by the eventual tournament winner, James Caporuscio.

Both Mr. Furbert and the eventual winner went "all in" before the flop while each holding Ace-King.

Mr. Furbert and Mr. Caporuscio looked set to split the pot until the final card, "the river", was turned and Caporuscio hit a flush.

Before heading to the final table, Mr. Furbert told ESPN correspondent Steve Rosenbloom he had won a $225 satellite poker event at the Trump Taj hotel to get into the event.

Mr. Furbert also told ESPN it was the first time in five tries that he had got into a $10,000 buy-in poker event .

Mr. Furbert shared the final table with several well known poker pros including Men "The Master" Nguyen, who finished in the fifth spot, and John Juanda, who finished eighth. The poker tournament will eventually be broadcast on ESPN TV.

Poker pro teaches Kutcher poker strategies

2005-10-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

October 18, 2005 -- Newlywed ASHTON KUTCHER treated himself to a poker lesson with top poker player ANNIE DUKE as he and his new bride DEMI MOORE made their first official public appearance since their marriage (24SEP05) at a Las Vegas, Nevada auction. The actor bid $14,000 for a private poker session with Duke at the uBid.com online celebrity auction, which took place at the Empire Ballroom. Kutcher felt compelled to attend the event with his new wife when he learned all the proceeds from the auction was going to aid the ongoing Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Due to his love for poker Kutcher has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates to play the role of Phil Hellmuth Jr. in the movie depicting the life of the erstwhile cheesehead turned poker pro. Hellmuth's life story - up to the age of 24 - was optioned in Hollywood.

Poker strategies against stomach cancer

2005-10-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2005

Poker players, celebrity hounds and hard rock music fans will all be delighted if they happen to show up at the Hard Rock Casino on Friday, November 11. Motley Crue front man and reality-TV show veteran Vince Neil will be hosting the "Off the Strip" poker event will feature No limit Texas Hold'em, the game that seems to be slated to be featured in any and all high profile poker events. Of course, concentrating on the poker game might be tough as distractions come from the all star group of dancers from the top Vegas clubs who will be on hand to watch. The T.J. Martell Foundation will be the ultimate source to benefit from the charity poker event, with the proceeds being collected and passed on by the Skylar Neil Foundation, a charity that was named after Neil's daughter, a victim of stomach cancer.

Great Poker strategies for Brecher and Juanda

2005-10-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 14, 2005 -- Poker pros Steve Brecher and John Juanda each made a final table appearance at last week's United States Poker Championship at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.Brecher's third-place finish marks the fourth final-table appearance of his career, and his best overall showing in a major poker tournament. His performance earned him a total of $218,250, bringing his total poker winnings for the 2005 season to nearly $280,000. Prior to his United States Poker Championship performance, Brecher's best result came in the 2004 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic/WPT Championship tournament where he finished sixth and earned $232,862.John Juanda's fifth-place finish at the United States Poker Championship marks his third final-table appearance of the 2005 season, and his second final table in the past two months. Juanda's $98,213 payday brings his yearly poker winnings to more than $586,000."Over the last two years, there are few poker players who have finished in the money at Championship events more than Steve Brecher," said fellow poker pro Howard Lederer. "One of those players is John Juanda, who might just have the best overall poker record in tournament play over the past five years."

Poker Conference Held in Costa Rica

2005-10-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

October 12, 2005

NEW YORK - (PRESS RELEASE) - A poker industry Conference and Exposition will be held the weekend of December 3-4, 2005 in Costa Rica at the Barcelo San Jose Palacio Hotel.The Poker Expo is an event that will cover the poker business, focusing on management, marketing and technology. Poker room and online poker executives will be in attendance.This poker event will also have a poker tournament in the evening for industry executives and professional poker players. The poker tournament will be held at the Herradura Casino, a licensed casino operating in San Jose, Costa Rica. The poker tournament will represent the best of poker strategies, poker tactics and playing skills by poker executives and some of the most seasoned poker players that exist today.

Prepare for this conference with Costa Rica Poker Party!

Costa Rica is a popular place for travel. Poker is the most popular card game in the US. The Costa Rica Poker Party website will give you all the information to plan your poker trip to Costa Rica. Poker games can currently be found in five casinos in the country. Find out about Costa Rica poker rooms, check flight schedules and find the lowest fares from your city to Costa Rica from within our site.

Online Poker Room Casino Affiliate Program

2005-10-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

The online Poker Room affiliate program gives webmasters the chance to earn a lot of cash by recruiting money players to Poker Room Online Casino. A money player is a term for describing an online casinos player that registers with the online casino and ends up playing with real money. Affiliates are entitled to a percentage of the money that their recruit generates for the online casino. Affiliates also get to choose the payment method in which they want to get paid. Poker Room affiliate program allows you to choose between a shared revenue program and a CPA deal. Affiliates who choose to receive their commission based on shared revenue, earn a share of the revenue that the online casino generated as a result of money players recruited by the affiliate. Affiliates can also opt to receive their commission in the form of a fixed amount of money for each player they brought to the online casino. Members of Poker Room affiliate program are also given the option to increase their profits by combining the two methods.The next step would be to select the marketing tools you wish to use in order to attract poker players to the online casino. Poker Room affiliate program also gives affiliates the option of creating customized flyers, for informing players of new promos available at the online casino.

Poker Strategies and TNT's poker series

2005-09-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

TSN isn't bluffing with poker series
By ROB BRODIE -- Ottawa Sun

The poker craze, it seems, isn't dying down anytime soon. If anything, it continues to mushroom. Witness the creation of the Degree Poker Championship, the first all-Canadian version of the popular Texas Hold 'em duel. It's a project that's been in the works for a year at TSN, with the first of four shows airing last night.

It's an all-Canadian affair featuring "everyday" people, said Adam Ashton, TSN's VP of marketing. "The thing we asked ourselves was 'How do you create an authentic Canadian poker tournament championship to find our next undiscovered star?' " he said. TSN conducted an on-line registration for the free poker tournament in the spring and received more than 20,000 responses. Out of that group, 2,000 were randomly selected to compete, equally split into regional poker tourneys at casinos in Niagara Falls and Richmond, B.C.

Forty-five players -- five tables of nine -- made the finals, which were taped at Niagara Fallsview Online Casino Resort in June. The first of four parts of the TV presentation aired last night, with the others tonight, Sept. 23 and Sept. 24. The latter episode includes the $100,000 final and a bonus $1 million final hand poker showdown. Ashton said TSN hopes to draw about 170,000 viewers each night. The entire series has been shot in high-definition format.

So what's the appeal of it to viewers? Ashton believes a lot of it has to do with the way TV presents it. "People at home know what's going on," he said. "To see that unfold is the real drama ... it's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster."

It's important to note that for all poker news or gambling related news visit www.thepokerweb.com. As for related news the WPS Christmas in the Caribbean Florida poker cruise is set to sail with Greg Raymer the 2004 World Series of Poker Champion as Celbrity host. So sign up today and don't miss the boat. Poker News and Poker Blogs are making there way throughout the internet faster than lightning in today's Press.

Online gaming and online casinos have made it big in the past but the time is right for those fans of online poker to get in. Visit the Poker Web for great poker bonuses and online poker free rolls.

Aussie Rookie Wins 2005 World Series of Poker

2005-07-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

Aussie Rookie Wins 2005 World Series of Poker

By ADAM GOLDMAN, Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS - Australian Joseph Hachem prevailed in his first World Series of Poker Saturday, winning $7.5 million and snatching the game's greatest crown in the longest final table in the tournament's history.

Only six hands into the two-man showdown at the end, Hachem eliminated Steven Dannenmann of Severn, Md., when he flopped a seven-high straight.

When it was clear Hachem had won, his fans in the room erupted into "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!" Hachem immediately embraced Dannenmann, wrapped himself in an Australian flag and shouted: "Thank you, America."

Hachem's victory was astonishing because he had been nursing a short stack of chips for 11 1/2 hours through the night, waiting for the right moment and avoiding confrontations that could cost him a chance at the 36th annual no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event title.

"I never gave up," he said.

The 39-year-old gambler from Melbourne moved with his family from his native Lebanon in 1972 and gave up a 13-year chiropractic career three years ago to play poker for a living.

Nearly 14 hours into the final round of seemingly interminable poker, Hachem pounced, bringing the tournament to a decisive end about an hour after sunrise.

The final play unfolded slowly as Dannenmann raised before the flop — three community cards — was turned over. Hachem called and the dealer revealed a six-five-four flop. Hachem checked, Dannenmann bet another $700,000 and then Hachem raised to $1.7 million.

The turn, or fourth card, was an ace and Hachem threw another $2 million into the pot. Dannenmann raised to $5 million and Hachem went "all-in" with more than $30 million, moving into a high-stakes gear that can either save or break a gambler.

Dannenmann called instantly and then Hachem produced a seven and three, giving him a seven-high straight. Dannenmann showed an ace-three, and needed a seven on the river — the last card — to match Hachem's straight. It didn't happen.

Dannenmann said his top priority was to have a good time. He even carried around a small sheet of paper with a list of things he should remember. Two of them were "have fun" and "nothing to lose."

Toward the end of the round, Dannenmann, a 38-year-old accountant and mortgage banker from Severn, Md., said he just wanted to finish the match.

"I got tired," he said. "I was bored of it. I was trying to make moves."

With the bundles of cash, Hachem also won the coveted white gold and diamond bracelet. It's the last time the event will be held at Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel, where cowboy Benny Binion started the World Series in 1970.

Like Chris Moneymaker in 2003 and Greg Raymer last year, Hachem won in his initial World Series, likely changing his life forever.

"A million dollars changes my life, let alone $7.5 million," he said. "It changes everything. I can look after my family, my mum, my kids."

The final group of nine emerged from a field of 5,619 gamblers. They had survived eight days of mind-numbing poker, overcoming unlucky cards and Darth Vaderesque stares at the Rio hotel-casino and Binion's.

When the first cards were dealt Friday, each player was capable of winning if he was willing to make some of the toughest calls of his life.

After Tex Barch was eliminated in a monster three-way pot, Hachem and Dannenmann found themselves heads up. Hachem was in command of $39.9 million and Dannenmann had $16.3 million.

Soon the two would make gambling history when they ended play at 6:44 a.m. — 13 hours and 56 minutes after the final round began. The table was 18 minutes longer than the previous mark, established in 1983.

To get to that point, the pair had to outlast seven other men — none of whom wanted to go quietly.

Everyone who began the day at the table was guaranteed at least $1 million.

Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, a well-known professional player who came in sixth in 2001 and 87th last year, had been considered a favorite but was the first to go. He had no regrets.

"I played the six best days of poker in my life," Matusow said. "I'm going to bed happy."

Penn law student Brad Kondracki finished eighth and Daniel Bergsdorf, a Swedish truck driver, was seventh. Scott Lazar was sixth, Irishman Andrew Black took fifth and Aaron Kanter wrapped up fourth, followed by Barch.

About 13 hours into the round, officials dumped the first-place prize in thick stacks of hundreds on a table near the players, causing shouts of "Oh, my God!" For the first time in the tournament, the remaining gamblers saw their elusive goal — guarded by security men with shotguns.

When Hachem finally confronted the mountain of cash, he asked: "Is this all mine?"

Yes.

U.S. Poker Players Believe Skill Outweighs Luck

2005-07-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Playing Conveniently Online Reduces the Pressure

- Survey Reveals That Women Play Poker as Often as Men and Prefer Online Play Over Casinos -

ANTIGUA and LOS ANGELES, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey of U.S. poker players commissioned by The World Poker Exchange, sponsor of the upcoming London Open lifestyle poker tournament in August, reveals preferences regarding playing poker, a game that is reaching new heights in popularity. Seventy-five percent of players engage in a game at least three times a month. Respondents indicated that 39 percent play five times or more a month. A 57 percent majority of online poker players believe that winning is more about skill than luck versus the 74 percent of traditional casino poker players who believe that skill definitely trumps luck.

Where Poker Players Are Gathering For A Game

Given a choice, nearly half of poker players (45 percent) want to play online, and the same amount (45 percent) prefer playing face-to-face with friends. Women are six times more likely to prefer playing online than in a casino (48 percent vs. 8 percent). Overall, more than three out of four players (77 percent) regularly play online each month.

Among players who play games online, nearly six in ten surveyed (59 percent) prefer to play poker online because it is less intimidating than playing in a casino. A full, 75 percent of online poker players also reported enjoying that online is both convenient and comfortable to play at home. Additionally, as a benefit, they can find a game at any time. Sixty-six percent of the respondents stated they prefer playing online because they don't need to worry about maintaining a "poker face", and 48 percent consider playing online a good way to practice for face-to-face games. Forty-three percent like online play because hands are dealt faster than in a casino.

Venus Vs. Mars Poker Playing Habits

Men and women play poker about the same amount of time, with 60 percent of men playing up to four times each month and 62 percent of women playing up to four times per month. Despite playing the same number of times each month, nearly half the women (49 percent) consider themselves a "social player," compared to 28 percent of men. Almost one in five (17 percent) men rate themselves as "serious players" versus only 7 percent of women players. When it comes to playing poker in a casino, 73 percent of men reported that they are comfortable playing poker in this environment, while only 52 percent of women would be at ease doing so.

Women Are In the Game; Some Are Placing Bets

The old prejudices that playing poker is "unladylike" and that poker is a man's game have disappeared. Half of men surveyed (49 percent) say it is sexy when women play poker. Eighty percent of the female respondents stated that gender is of no consequence in poker. Women are playing as often as men, but they are more interested in the social and fun aspects of the game than men (82 percent of women versus 65% of men). Thirty five percent of the men reported they like to play for money, versus just 18 percent of women who like to wager money when playing poker.

Wagering for Fun, Thrills and to Win

More than half of all players surveyed (53 percent) say they make bets for fun, even if it means "losing a small amount." A strong majority (69 percent) wagers enough to "win a little money occasionally." Only six percent wager enough to supplement their incomes and 2 percent "play full-time as an occupation." Win or lose, four in 10 players say they love the thrill of betting on poker games.

Celebrity Fantasy Game Player Preferences

From a list of celebrities, George Clooney was the most desired fantasy poker player, with more than one in five respondents (21 percent) saying they would most like to play with him. Other popular celebrities that people want to play poker with included Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Shannon Elizabeth and Mimi Rogers. Women were 20 percent more likely to want to play with George Clooney (33 percent among women to 13 percent among men), and men were five times more likely than women to choose Jennifer Lopez as a playing partner (24 percent among men to 5 percent among women).

About the Survey

World Poker Exchange commissioned KRC Research to conduct a Poker Player Habits and Attitudes survey in June, 2005 encompassing 301 online interviews of poker players age 18 and up. The margin of error is estimated at +/- 5.7% at the 95% confidence level. KRC Research is a full-service opinion and marketing research division unit of Interpublic, with offices in Washington, DC, Boston, New York and London.

Poker Show Searching For Players

2005-07-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

(PRWEB) - The producers of the Small Town Poker Tour announced today the venues for season one. The following states will be in the first tour, Vermont, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, Mississippi Texas, California and Washington. Executive Producer Mark Fracalossi stated, "Anyone with a valid state driver"s license or ID may play".

The Tour will pick the towns in each state by the nominations received by the players. "Get online visit www.smalltownpokertour.com , tells us why we should come to your town", Fracalossi stated. "We are looking for the Small Towns who have interest in hosting us, and local charities that could benefit from us", he added.

The producers plan to visit possible sites the next few weeks.
The Small Town Poker Tour will donate 100 percent of the money raised to charity. "We want the money to stay local", Fracalossi said.

The tour is set to travel the USA in search of the best amateur poker player, along the way featuring a unique blend of characters that make for some very exciting action.

Billy Frank, Creative Director/Executive Producer of Make It Happen Productions, is in charge of the productions."Make it Happen Productions has the staff, experience and creativity to bring this show to reality," states Fracalossi

The winner of each states tournament will then move on to the season final for cash and prizes.

Goof sends Man to the 2005 World Series of Poker

2005-07-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

KILLEEN, Texas - A computer goof has Robert Guinther headed for a seat at the World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas later this week.

Guinther, 65, entered what he thought was a $10 online poker tournament, but midway through he realized that he had accidentally clicked on a World Series of Poker satellite tournament with a $100 entry fee and it was too late to back out. He went on to win, defeating 180 other competitors and earning a spot in the WSOP $10,000 no-limit championship.

The tournament, which begins Thursday, will involve more than 6,600 players who either qualified by winning a satellite tournament or paid the $10,000 entry fee.

"This is the dream of a lifetime," Guinther said. "I watch these guys on television all the time, and I'm excited about the chance to sit down and play with them."

Guinther's son, Rik, kept tabs on his father's progress from his home computer in San Antonio and had to explain just what the victory meant.

"When I won, I let out a big Yes!" Guinther said. "I just thought I had won $11,000, but then my son told me over the phone, 'Dad, you've just won a seat in the World Series of Poker!' I screamed so loud, you wouldn't believe it."

Guinther, who settled in Killeen after retiring as an Army sergeant first class in 1985, says he's a little nervous about the next step but knows he'll be fine once play begins.

ESPN World Series of Poker Season 2 Hits the Market

2005-07-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The poker phenomenon is still raging and so is its highest stakes game, No-Limit Texas Hold'Em. To the delight of poker fans nationwide, ESPN Original Entertainment and DVD Marketing Inc. have compiled the complete 2004 World Series of Poker's Main Event, a six-day shoot-out between the crème de la crème of the poker world and wildcard amateurs to capture the multi-million dollar cash prize, onto an ultimate must-have three-disc DVD set.

The DVD set, packed with bonus features and more than 11 hours of poker action, will be available for online purchase as of today at www.espnshop.com and www.championshipdvd.com with a suggested retail price of $19.95. Availability in retail outlets will follow.

"Our fans will really enjoy the 2004 WSOP DVD collection because we've loaded it with four hours of bonus content," said Victoria Stevens, vice president, ESPN. "It's great for people who enjoy poker and dream of someday making it to the final table at the game's biggest stage."

A record-breaking 2,576 players, more than triple the number from last year, came to Las Vegas for the 2004 World Series of Poker. Once again, it was a virtual unknown in the poker world that would beat the poker masters and garner the top prize. Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, a patent attorney from Connecticut, parlayed a $160 online entry fee into $5 million in winnings and the coveted WSOP title.

This DVD set contains ESPN Original Entertainment's final 10 programs from the telecast of the 2004 World Series of Poker, which earned a 1.7 rating for more than 1.5 million viewing households. Hosted by ESPN commentators and poker aficionados, Lon McEachern and Norman Chad, the DVD is presented in fullscreen (1.33:1) digital video without commercial interruption, and includes revealing interviews of star players, basic rules of No-Limit Texas Hold'Em and four hours of bonus features. Chapter points set at the key rounds allow the viewer to jump directly to the action putting them in control of every frame of video as ESPN captures the emotion, strategy and luck in route to crowning the champion of the World Series of Poker.

Actress Jennifer Tilly Wins Poker Event

2005-06-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Actress Jennifer Tilly is no poker pretender. Tilly won the Ladies no-limit Texas Hold 'Em event at the World Series of Poker, marking the first time a celebrity has won a bracelet at the famous tournament.

Tilly's skillful and self-admitted lucky play earned her $158,625. She beat 600 players to capture first place in the grueling two-day event that featured some of the top female pros in the world. The buy-in was $1,000.

"I think she showed an incredible amount of talent," WSOP media director Nolan Dalla said. "She had an enormous chip lead and never looked back. It was almost as though her victory was never in question."

Tilly, 46, said she's learned plenty of pointers from her boyfriend, poker player Phil "Unabomber" Laak.

"When you're living with Phil, you kinda learn by osmosis," Tilly told CardPlayer.com. "Even in the middle of the night, he wakes up screaming out poker terms. Most guys scream out other girls' names. He'll wake up and go, `I should have bet more on the turn.'"

Tilly, an Oscar nominee for her role in the 1994 film, "Bullets Over Broadway," is the first woman in this year's WSOP to win a bracelet.

The WSOP is being held at the Rio hotel-casino.

When to call it a day in poker

2005-06-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

Even if you are the best poker player in the world, you will have some losing days. Knowing when to just call it quits for the session will do you a world of good for your bankroll.

If you play limit poker, it is wise to quit if you have a swing of 40 big bets or more either way. Forty big bets at limit is a lot (especially longhand), so having swings more than this may drive you insane. The only reason to break the 40-big-bet rule is if the game you are in is really good.

Fundamentally though, you should quit because you are tilting, you have played a lot already and risk being tired, or you just have other things to do.

Here are some signs that you may be tilting:
1. You always think your opponents are bluffing
2. You really want to break even for the day
3. You want to get back into the action as soon as possible

Here are some signs that you may have played too much poker:
1. You are falling asleep at the table
2. You have played more than ten hours for the day (never play more than ten hours at any one time. It is better to play many short or medium sessions than a few long ones).
3. You find it harder to pay attention to your opponents

The importance of patience

2005-06-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

In the game of poker, patience = money. Patience as a poker virtue simply means waiting on a good starting hand before throwing money into the pot. A good poker player only plays about 20-30% of his dealt hands. This means that at least 70% of the time, you'll be folding your cards and watching someone else walk away with a pot. If this waiting proves too much for you, then seriously consider bagging your chips up and heading over to the slot machine...poker is not for you.

Starting hand selection is the #1 reason players either win or lose money. Develop a clear set of hands that you will “go in” with. I give several good examples of starting hand selections in other sections of this page. If you don't have a clear starting hand requirement strategy, start there as you look to develop your own list.

Meanwhile, if you have already been playing poker online and notice you are losing money, take a look at the statistics that most of these online poker rooms calculate for you. Check your “see the flop” percentage. If its greater than 30%, then you may have found the source of your problem.

courtesy of www.poker-strategy.org

Poker Great Brenes to Enter World Series of Poker

2005-06-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Humberto Brenes, the godfather of Costa Rican poker, member of the "Costa Rica Connection" and one of professional poker's most beloved players is taking on the world's best in The World Series of Poker (WSOP), the largest poker tournament in the world. es.sportsbook.com, the Spanish edition of the largest sportsbook on the planet is currently offering odds on Brenes and all of the top professional and celebrity players in the tournament.

Brenes sits currently at 1250-1 odds, with favorites Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey both at 300-1. Hollywood stars such as Ben Affleck (2500-1) and Ed Norton (7500-1), both very accomplished players on the celebrity tour, are considered long shots for the title according to es.sportsbook.com fans.

Brenes learned how to play poker from his father at age 7 and began playing poker tournaments a decade ago after a successful career playing baccarat and craps tournaments throughout the Bahamas. Brenes, who maintains homes in Costa Rica and Miami Lakes, Florida, runs a number of successful businesses in Costa Rica including a construction company. Brenes has won two world poker championships.

Poker is now one of North America's largest pastimes - both online and face-to-face - and continues to grow in popularity as more tournaments are created. The WSOP Championship Event takes place July 7 to 15 at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Seidel Wins Entry Into 2005 World Series of Poker

2005-06-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Erik Seidel bested a field of 1,402 of poker's best to take the top prize in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold 'em event at the World Series of Poker of 2005. Seidel took home $611,795 the lion's share of the $2,581,520 prize pool, and a coveted World Series of Poker bracelet for his victory in the ninth event of poker's biggest series of tournaments.

Seidel, a former Wall Street trader turned poker professional, took home his seventh World Series of Poker bracelet, making him fifth on the all-time list of bracelet winners. Seidel joins elite company as only Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, and Johnny Moss have more WSOP titles. Seidel's modest and quiet demeanor separates him from many poker professionals, and he is known as one of the nicest guys in poker. Full Tilt Poker's players have secured five top-3 finishes so far this year, and Seidel's performance marks the second victory for a Full Tilt Poker representative - a remarkable accomplishment considering all 10 events have broken the previous record for number of participants.

"Erik has always been unfairly remembered for his spectacular second place finishes in the past," said fellow Team Full Tilt member Howard Lederer. "Now that Erik has a televised win under his belt, maybe he will start to be remembered for his many victories."

Seidel represents one of the fastest growing online poker sites, www.fulltiltpoker.com, and spends several hours a week online helping amateur players learn the game by sharing his poker knowledge through real-time chats at the virtual tables. Along with Seidel, 26 other top poker professionals play exclusively at www.fulltiltpoker.com, where they have helped to create the best possible atmosphere for players who want to improve their games.

"Team Full Tilt" is a select group of the world's finest professional poker players, including Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Erick Lindgren, Erik Seidel, Andy Bloch, Phil Gordon (Co-host, Celebrity Poker Showdown), Clonie Gowen, John Juanda, Jennifer Harman and others. Full Tilt Poker offers players the unique opportunity to play, chat, and learn with the best in the game. With Seidels's victory, the 27 professional players who play at www.fulltiltpoker.com now have a total of 37 World Series of Poker bracelets, and are looking to add several more to their collection in the remaining 39 events over the next four weeks.

National Poker Association Formed

2005-06-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

TENNESSEE – (RGT PRESS RELEASE) -- The NPA, National Poker Association , is a new organization designed for the 50 million poker players nationwide of all skill levels. Representing everyone who plays, the NPA's mission is to offer services and benefits to anyone who enjoys playing poker , to promote enthusiasm for the game, to give players a way to show their pride, to lobby for improved poker legislation and to offer discounts on travel and entertainment. With the

World Series of Poker beginning on June 2, and the World Championship Event beginning on July 7, poker is once again in the spotlight. As a special promotion, and to introduce NPA to the world, if the WSOP World Championship Event winner is a member of the NPA, he or she will also receive a Super Bowl-style NPA World Champion ring.

"With the popularity of poker rising, people everywhere are realizing what fun the game really is," said Wes Parker, NPA President. "It's not played in secret, smoke-filled, back rooms anymore. Poker is mainstream America, whether it is a friendly game in the home, or in a world championship tournament. And now, with the NPA, players can enjoy the benefits they deserve."

By offering all players the opportunity to become part of a large group, the NPA can then use that collective voice to promote the sport. They have partnered with many companies to offer members a variety of discounts and benefits. Members can also purchase NPA logo apparel, access the land-based poker room locator, casino information and locator, view tournament schedules, read the newsletter, get a legislative update, and much more, all included with membership and available at www.myNPA.org .

The NPA is like other organizations that cater to people with specific interests or hobbies. Members will benefit from the many services and resources offered through the Web site with a 1-year membership for only $25. The NPA will increase members' enjoyment of poker and take the game to a higher level.

Affleck, DiCaprio, Damon and Norton to compete for WSOP 2005

2005-06-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

Sportsbook.com offers odds on the WSOP
LAS VEGAS, NV,/PRNewswire/ - The World Series of Poker (WSOP,) the largest poker tournament in the world has begun and Sportsbook.com is the only online gambling company offering odds on the top players lined up to compete. Some of Hollywood's biggest movie stars are among those competing with world poker stars like Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Gus Hansen and Scotty Nguyen for the best on the planet title.

Leonardo DiCaprio (250-1,) Ben Affleck (150-1,) Matt Damon (250-1) and Ed Norton (250-1) are all accomplished poker players on the Celebrity tour and will be in the WSOP field. Sportsbook.com fans wagering on the WSOP do not expect the Hollywood celebrities to seriously challenge the world renowned poker stars.

Poker is now one of the country's largest pastimes - both online and face- to-face, and continues to grow in popularity as more tournaments are created. The WSOP Championship Event takes place July 7 to 15 at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

"There will be a huge audience for this event. Sportsbook.com wants to offer fans a chance to play even if they can't get a seat at the World Series of Poker table," says Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com. "We offer our players a chance to wager on all of the biggest sporting events and the World Series of Poker is definitely considered one of those events."

World's First Multi-Room Online Poker Tournament Announced

2005-06-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Online Series of Poker has been announced, giving online poker players the opportunity to win a share of $100,000 in prize money by qualifying through online poker tournaments.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) -- The Online Series of Poker (OSOP) has just been announced, presenting online poker players worldwide the unprecedented opportunity to win a share of $100,000 in prize money by qualifying through online poker tournaments at participating online poker rooms. This is the first time in the history of online gaming that a tournament has been held across multiple online poker rooms.

The online poker rooms, Party Poker, Ultimate Bet, PokerRoom, Absolute Poker, and Golden Palace Poker, will each host two tournaments, starting with Party Poker in early June. Anyone eligible to play at the online poker rooms can participate in as many of the ten tournaments as they wish. Five of the tournaments will require a $100 buy-in plus a $9 fee, while the other five will have a $250 buy-in and $20 fee.

The winner of each online poker tournament will be awarded, in addition to the prize money from the tournament itself, a seat at the OSOP $100,000 Championship, to be held on Oct. 8, 2005, at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. The prize package will also include roundtrip airfare from anywhere in the world, airport transfers, accommodations at the Trump Taj Mahal hotel, and meal vouchers. The winner of the Championship will take home $30,000, but even tenth place receives $5,000, so everybody will enjoy a healthy payday.

Additionally, all players who register at the OSOP Web site (www.onlineseriesofpoker.com) will be eligible for the OSOP Leader Board, sponsored by Citadel Commerce, which will track the results of each qualifying tournament. The top six money leaders across all ten events will receive cash prizes, ranging from $3,000 to $500.

For additional information about the online poker tournament and the OSOP, contact Jay Lakin or visit the OSOP official Web site at www.onlineseriesofpoker.com.

Telling if the Casino's Payout Rate Is Accurate

2005-05-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

The payout rate of an online casino can often be found on its homepage. This figure usually exceeds the 90 percentile on most online casinos. Naturally, the higher the payout rate is, the better your chances of winning at a particular online casino are. However, how can we be sure that this figure is accurate? Much like in the game of Poker where players look for “tells” to get a sense of how good is the other player´s hand, there are also a number of signs indicating whether or not the payout rate is accurate. Once you know what to look for, you´ll be able to differentiate a reputable online casino from a questionable one.

The first sign you need to look for is the availability of payout rates dating back several months. If you notice that the payout rate varies from month to month, it´s a good indication that the figures have not been fabricated. If it stays the same or for some reason the online casino chooses not to disclose these figures, it might be a good idea to go elsewhere. The games played at the online casino are decided by a random number generator, which is why it´s impossible for the payout rate to stay the same month after month.

The second thing you need to make sure of is that the payout rate is confirmed by a 3rd party auditing company such as eCOGRA or OPA. When an online casino is willing to have its financial records inspected by an auditor, it sends a clear message that it has nothing to hide. Furthermore, you can rest assure that the payout rates have been reviewed and found as authentic. You can review these authentication reports for yourself by visiting the online casino, and clicking on a certificate banner carrying the auditor´s name, which can usually be found on the homepage.

David Williams Wins Poker Royale Tournament

2005-05-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

CALIFORNIA -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- David Williams proved he was the best poker player of his generation today, winning a special invitational No Limit Texas Hold'em tournament that was televised by GSN, the Network for Games.

The 24-year-old Williams faced off against five other top young rising stars under the age of 30 in the network's first-ever poker special Poker Royale: Young Bloods which aired Friday, May 20 from 9-11:30 PM ET/PT.

Joining Williams in the tournament were fellow competitors: Michael Sandberg (22-year-old Princeton student who has won over $120K since Sept. '04), Scott Fischman (Youngest player to win two back-to back WSOP bracelets), Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi (First place winner at the 2005 LA Poker Classic), Erica Schoenberg (World Series of Blackjack semi-finalist) and Erin Ness (Second highest female finisher in 2004's World Series of Poker).

Williams triumphed after heads-up action against Ness that lasted over 90-minutes. The lead changed several times between Williams and Ness before the game was decided in a hand when Williams pulled two pairs (Queens and Nines.)

A Dallas native, Williams' aggressive playing style has enabled him to finish in the money in such major tournaments as the 2004 World Series of Poker Champ (second place); 2004 Borgata Poker Open (second place); 2004 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic (first place) and now Poker Royale: Young Bloods champion.

The young poker millionaire, Williams, said about his win, "It feels great to take down the best of my peer group. I am ecstatic to have won this tournament on GSN. The money will go back to the tables."

Ness, a relative newcomer to poker hit it big when her employer, Maxim Magazine, sent her to participate in the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament. The 26-year-old Ness finished as the second highest female at that tournament and since then has found poker fame.

On her efforts today, Ness said: "I was really pleased with my play today. I held my own throughout the tournament and have gained new confidence in my play as I get ready for the 2005 World Series of Poker."

As the tournament's first place winner, Williams earned $20,000 for the top prize and fellow competitor Ness received $10,000 for her second place finish. The rest of the players received $5,000 for their efforts.

Interpreting Poker Tells

2005-05-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

What is a Poker Tell? A tell is any habit, behavior, or physical reaction, that gives other players more information about your hand. The following are tips supplied to PokerTop10 by the pros, and can apply against novice or advanced players. Remember, that in poker there are many contradictions and exceptions to the rule. Also, experienced pros will give out false tells to fool players.

Watch the Eyes
This is why many pros wear sunglasses or visors/caps when playing, they know that the eyes rarely lie. For eg. many players can't help but stare at big hole cards, so their length of time peeking is longer. Conversely, if a player is looking to steal the pot, he may look to his left to see if the remaining players, who haven't yet acted, have quickly glanced at their cards and are likely to fold. Another eg., a player may try to ask you questions about your hand, knowing that people rarely can "look someone straight in the eyes" while being dishonest.

Facial Expression
Again, many pros try to disguise their entire face by wearing a cap and looking downward. This is to avoid the classic stare down that poker pros are famous for. They may try to study your face for nervousness (detecting a weak hand), or even look for repetitive characteristics like a body "tic". You may have obvious unhappiness in your face when your hand is weak, and conversely, you may show a contrasting show of confidence when your hand is strong. Weak is Strong/Strong is Weak

In its most simplistic form, this usually applies to novice players but frequently applies to pros as well. Basically, players like to be actors, and when they have a monster hand they tend to look disinterested. eg. "Oh, is it my turn to act" or "Oh I guess I will play these cards". Alternatively, a player increasing the level of his voice while raising the pot, and trying to look intimidating. may be running a bluff.

Anxiety
Anxiety typically occurs in people when they are confronted, or anticipating confrontation. Psychologists call this the "Fight or Flight" stimulus response, which links back to the days when we were cavemen/cave women. Physical changes happen including flexing of muscles, eye pupil dilation, palpitating heart rate, dry throat. In poker, when someone has a big hand they are typically ready for confrontation and can exhibit some of these characteristics. You may see the chest expanding abnormally, or you may notice the players voice become slightly higher as he makes a comment. Some of the top players in the game will stare at the vein on the top-side of your face for blood pressure changes. During a bluff, the player may demonstrate anxiety, but if he knows he will fold the hand if re-raised (non-confrontational end) may look quite comfortable.

Trembling Hands
Also, a byproduct of anxiety, beware of a player whose hands are shaking, this nervousness can represent a big hand.

Glance at Chips
Again, relating to the eyes. It is common for players to quickly glance at their chips if they connect with the board after a Flop for example. This may be a subconscious reaction, but the player is already planning his attack.

Peeking Hole Cards on Flop
Some players will take another look at their hole cards when, for example, the board is showing a potential 3 card flush draw. Typically, the player is looking to see if one of his cards is connecting, because he remembers only that the two cards are different suits.

Repetitive Betting Patterns
Usually the most revealing tells are based on the way a player habitually bets during particular situations. For example, maybe the player always checks when he has made the nuts, or a player may regularly fold after being re-raised.

Body Posture/Attitude
Some players show obvious changes in their posture based on their attitude/hand strength. For instance, you may notice their shoulders drop/slump when they are not confident (weak hand). Conversely, you may notice the player is very attentive and sitting in an erect position when he has strength. You may also notice that a player who bluffs a lot, leans forward in a confrontational way... remember Strong is Weak!

Chip Stacking
When you first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although it is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain unorganized/sloppy stacks, while tight conservative players keep well organized/neat stacks.

Texas Holdem - Playing the River

2005-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

The River Card. Showdown. Its time to see who is taking down the chips, and who is drowning in the river. River play is fairly simple. If you have the best hand either by strength of good cards early, or luck of the draw on the river, now is your final chance to get a few more chips from your opponents.

Some “classy” players will check here, even though they know they have the top hand, and thus save their opponents a few dollars to put back in their wallet.. Unless its a long time friend, I would advise taking his wallet, emptying it of its contents and then stuffing the wallet down his throat.

There are winners and there are losers in poker. If you are looking for “courtesy play”, then play with family. The world of poker is like Jack London's icy wastelands where only the strong survive.

The only real advice I can give on river play is to almost never fold. If you have been playing good cards up to this point in the hand, then you at least have a shot at holding the winning cards.

By now the pot is large enough that it also makes good money sense to stay in. Unless you did not complete a pure draw hand, call any bets. Don't get the reputation as someone who can be bluffed off the river. If this happens, you'll just face more and more bluff bets on the river. On the other hand, if you get the reputation as someone who can't be bluffed, then noone in their right mind will attempt it.

The only other times I consider folding is when an extremely conservative player who never bluffs has been calling towards a draw hand the entire hand, and now it looks like he has hit his card. Or when there are two or more players who starting betting and raising on the river, you can be sure that at least one of them holds the goods. You can make a case for folding here.

Pot odds dictate that you bet or call on the river, unless you are practically positive you are beat.

ValueSoft Releases Chris Moneymaker's World Poker Championship

2005-05-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

Latest Release is Sequel to ValuSoft's Top Selling World Poker Championship Game

MINNEAPOLIS,Minn. -- (PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- ValuSoft, a division of THQ Inc.), and a leading global publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and productivity software, today announced the release of Chris Moneymaker's World Poker Championship(TM). This high stakes PC poker game will be available at retailers throughout North America for $19.99 SRP.

"The passion for poker is sweeping the nation, and ValuSoft has been a leading publisher of poker on the PC with our top-selling World Poker Championship* game," said Scott Zerby, Vice President of ValuSoft. "Our newest poker game not only offers players a realistic, challenging game of poker, but now World Series of Poker(TM) champion Chris Moneymaker shares his personal poker tips and strategies for all skill levels, from novice to advanced."

Become a poker champ, one hand at time, with Chris Moneymaker's World Poker Championship(TM). Players can learn to play like a pro in with 'No Limit Texas Hold 'Em, 7 Card Stud, 5 Card Draw, and Omaha Hold 'Em.

Ten different exciting and exotic international casinos serve as the background, as players challenge their poker skills against real opponents via online games. Players win their way through the ranks against 20 tough computer opponents featuring advanced game Al. Then when it's time for the final round, players go head-to-head against the world champion to test their skills.

"Poker playing is fast, fun, and furious in my World Poker Championship(TM) PC game," said poker champion Chris Moneymaker. "In addition to playing a variety of poker games, players get an up close look at how to become a champ. This game is designed for all skill levels, whether players are just learning to shuffle the deck, or ready to sharpen their skills and go for the title of 'champion'."

Texas Holdem - Playing the Turn

2005-05-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Turn, or 4th Street in Holdem is the first instance where the bets are doubled. You can hear the “cha-ching” in your ears, as you bet those good hands. However, for the beginner, this street can be exceptionally dangerous, as this is where many players complete their straights and flushes, along with all of the other hand possibilites of poker.

If you have played good poker up to this point, at both the pocket card selection and flop, then you should have some idea of whether or not you are ahead or behind in the hand. As a general rule, if you are ahead after seeing this 4th card hit the board, then bet and start building the pot. On the other hand, if you are pretty sure you are behind, this is the prime time to fold your hand, before you start throwing your money away by calling the expensive bets.

Say you were dealt J-J, and you bet aggressively before and after the flop. The flop and turn board looks like this: Q-3-7-A, three of which are diamonds, and unfortunately, you hold the black jacks (spades and clubs). I would fold this hand to any raises. Why? Count how many ways you are beat. An ace, queen, 2 diamonds, or 1 diamond if another shows on the river, plus a remote straight oppurtunity if the river card is a 10, K or another Jack. Those are alot of ways to beat you. Now count how many “outs” you have and what the best possible hand is that you could form. Right now, your best hope is another Jack, giving you three of a kind. Are you willing to call bets and raises when there are only two cards left in the deck that can help you, and even then, still have a shot at getting beat by someone blessed with a diamond flush??

Good poker play before and after the flop gives you the information you need to make the decision on the Turn. Stick with your gut instinct. If you're ahead, bet, and if you're behind, fold. Don't pray for miracle cards.

Texas Holdem - Playing the Flop

2005-05-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

Besides the dealing of the pocket cards, and your decision to fold or hold them, the Flop is probably the most important moment in Texas Holdem. Three cards hit the board, often making “nut” hands out of weak pocket cards, and at times, making strong pocket cards useless. Your ability to read the flop will be a huge factor in your success in Texas Holdem.

Flopping 3 of a Kind

At the suggestion of a recent visitor, I am going to make a difference between “flopping a set“ and “flopping trips.“ First, flopping a set would be a situation where you hold a strong pair, such as KK, and the river comes K-A-6. Your monster 3 Kings are hidden, and anyone with an Ace is probably going to be putting in a raise, seeing top pair on the flop. The potential for this hand is amazing, and slow play would be a good option.

A similar situation we will call flopping trips. This would be a situation where you hold only one of the 3 cards as your pocket card. Say you hold AK suited, and the flop comes K-K-Q. Here again, you have 3 of a kind, but even so, we have to understand that this is a bit of a weaker hand. Anytime a pair is showing on board, there is danger of a full house already formed. QQ would definitely be a hand that someone would hold onto, and if given this flop, your 3 Kings are losers. Its also harder to maximize a pot with the two Kings on the flop. Those are huge scare cards, and if you bet out right away, you may get nothing more than whats already in the pot. Again, slow play, and be especially careful of an already formed full house.

There are however certain times you want to jam the pot with 3 of a kind. If the flop gives chances for a straight draw, like K-K-10, where anyone holding Q-J has a good chance at a straight, or if 2 of the cards are the same suit, giving someone a chance at a flush.of they held onto a pair of same suited cards. In these instances, they are going to play to the river, so make them pay to see extra cards!

Another time you want to jam the pot is if you have flopped a small set. For example you checked with the big blind with a pair of 3's, and the flop comes out Q-8-3. You have your set, and will most likely win with it, but you don't want to risk someone holding a higher pair getting their set on the turn or river for free. Bet, raise, check raise if you know someone else will bet, whatever you have to do to narrow down your competition and hopefully force out the small and medium pairs. What you like to see is someone with AQ in this situation with top pair, top kicker who will give you action but has very little chance of winning it. Jam the pot with small sets.

Top Pair after the Flop

If you held a high pair before the flop and were jamming the pot, then you should continue to jam the pot if you still hold the top pair. If you held Q-Q, and the flop comes out 10-2-7, its obvious you're still the leader, unless someone was slow playing Aces or Kings before the flop, or someone with 10's just flopped a set. The fact is, if you play aggressively with a high pair before the flop, you will know whether or not you still have the lead.

If you held A-K, and the flop comes out 4-K-9, here again, you're jamming the pot. You hold top pair with the best kicker, and the last thing you want is for someone to draw out and complete a flush or straight to beat you.

Top pair is strong after the flop, but definitely not strong enough to sit on and slow play.

Flopping a small Pair

Suppose you were holding A-8 of clubs, and the flop comes out Q-8-3. You have missed your flush draw, because only the 3 is clubs, but you have flopped a pair of “babies.” You have to respect the fact that someone may have a queen, and have you beat. Even so, if the action is checked to you, I would seriously consider putting in a raise here. By putting in the raise, you accomplish the purpose of finding out the true strength of your pair. If anyone holds a queen, you can expect a raise. If you have high hand, expect calls. If you are raised, then you must consider the personality of who raised you. If a mouse or rock raises you (see “Poker Animals” under general strategy), then it might be time to call or fold. If its the jackal, then by all means stay in, and even re-raise.

This particular hand would be hard for me to fold, simply because you still have alot of outs. An ace would give you a huge hand, another 8 would be even better, and theres always the possibility of 2 more clubs hitting the board.

So, go ahead and bet with the small pairs, and then judge by your opponents personalities and actions as to where you stand.

Flopping a Monster Hand

By monster hand, I mean flopping a royal flush, 4 of a kind, full house, flush, straight, straight flush. Statistically the hand is yours or practically yours. I would slow play in most circumstances. You want the other players to stay in and build a decent hand that they will bet with or at least call to the river with.

A word of caution though. In the case of flushes and straights, make sure you don't get caught with the low end of a straight or a low card flush, where someone makes the same straight with a higher card, or someone makes the same flush with a higher card. If you are playing good quality pocket cards though, this should rarely happen. But if your flush is only a 10 high, bet aggressively and try to force out anyone holding a jack, queen, king or ace of your suit. Granted, most people won't fold with four to a flush, but at least you're making them pay for a chance to get their card.

As a general rule then, slow play the monsters and wait till the more expensive turn and river to begin extracting chips from your opponents.

Flopping a Flush or Straight Draw

You have to first of all understand that odds are still against you making your hand (2-1 with four to a flush or open ended straight). But the rule of thumb to follow here is that Texas Holdem rewards aggressive play. Bet this hand and hope for one of two results. Either everyone else folds and you pick up a small pot, or you end up making your flush or straight and winning a huge one.

Flopping 2 Pair

Say you hold J-10 suited, and the flop comes 10-4-J. You have managed to flop the top two pair here. I always jam the pot in this case. While two pair is strong, there are still alot of hands that can beat it. Jam the pot and elbow everyone else off the table if possible. If you end up making a full house on the later streets, you can adjust your strategy, but for moment, you want to bet and force the limpers out.

Ugly Flops

If you are holding onto a marginal type hand, and it is not helped at all by the flop, then toss these cards immediately. Taking bad hands to the river will cost you money in the long run.

Briton plans to retire after shock $1.7m win in Vegas

2005-05-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

By Ian Herbert
The Independent News & Media (UK)

After 25 years running a company that makes drying equipment for the pharmaceutical industry, Paul Maxfield reckoned he had earned two weeks of fun on the Las Vegas poker tables. But returning home with the largest sum ever netted by any Briton in a poker game in the United States had not formed part of his calculations.

Mr Maxfield was back in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, yesterday $1.7m (£900,000) richer, after clinching the second place spot in the week-long World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship.

So meagre were his expectations of success that he had to cancel return flights home twice, as his participation in the competition was prolonged.

Mr Maxfield, 48, who employs 25 people at the company he established in 1980 with his brother-in-law, Steve Elliot, has always had an eye for the gaming tables.

He started out at age 17 playing for pennies and graduated to a local casino where winnings were £100 tops. Amid the daily grind of producing flatbed dryers and granulation suites, internet competitions have yielded the odd big win. And there have been a couple of good events; among them, a £60,000 payout in the European Poker Tour in Paris last year.

Mr Maxfield, who has two children and is divorced, paid out £1,000 for the cachet of playing in the all-night qualifying competition for the WPT event and surprised himself by earning the right to compete with 450 others in the competition itself.

A place in the last 100 (guaranteed winnings £30,000) was certainly not expected and prompted the second cancelled flight.

As Mr Elliot looked on, Mr Maxfield found the opposition whittled down to five, and eventually one - the talented Vietnamese-American player Tuan Le, with whom he contested a dramatic eight-hour final.

"It was like the Ryder Cup," said Mr Maxfield, as he described the final, at the luxurious Bellagio Hotel, which was watched by a huge television audience in the US. "All the audience [was] shouting for the American and there were only about eight English people shouting for me."

Mr Maxfield's success adds to the reputation in the US of British poker players, whose audiences in the UK have been limited to competitions screened by Channel 4 and Sky Sports.

Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, a former stand-up comic, bricklayer and lorry driver from Hull, has had an extraordinary five-year record on the US poker tables and was watched by 1.7 million British insomniacs when he won a competition on Channel 4 in 1999. But his biggest purse, $589,000, for seeing off a field of 160 players in the Jack Binion World Poker Open at Tunica, Mississippi, last year, pales in comparison with Mr Maxfield's haul.

Mr Maxfield has decided that his winnings will buy a "Mercedes, not a Ferrari" and said that he is looking forward to leaving the pharmaceutical industry. "I'm going to pay off my mortgage and retire - which isn't bad for 48," he said.

Poker Strategies and Poker Fund Raisers

2005-05-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Posted on Mon
May. 02, 2005

I knew when to fold 'em, but unfortunately not when to texas hold 'em, Friday when I played in the second annual Celebrity Poker Challenge at the President Casino on the Admiral.

The St. Louis riverfront casino held the tournament to benefit charity and generate some good buzz for poker, the hot game of the moment, and it's Saint Louie's Poker Room.

The poker tournament was a chance to win $2,000 or smaller second- and third-place prizes to donate to the charity of your choice. Even if you didn't win a poker news hand, which I didn't, your charity got $100.

There were 20 of us, including some people who actually are celebrities such as Rich Gould, Channel 11 sports director, the venerable Jay Randolph, Ron Jacober, radio personalities Guy Phillips and John Carney, former St. Louis Blues player Tony Twist and TV anchor Donna Savarese.

I figure it was Savarese sitting next to me who most likely distracted me and threw me off my game. Ed Goodman of KEZK-FM radio won. Gould finished second and Twist was third.
Chris Strobbe, vice president and manager of the President, said the casino has always tried to be a good corporate citizen and to be involved with area charities.

"We don't forget the metro-east," he said. "In fact 60 percent of employees from the metro-east." It never hurts to have a few celebrities around to publicize poker, either. Not that poker needs that much of a boost. Strobbe said the popularity of poker has skyrocketed in the past couple of years mostly due to national poker tournaments and television exposure.

"It has brought in a new type of customer for us," he said. "Everyone is playing poker. It really has enhanced all our table games play. "When the poker tables are full, they go to other games."
He said casino poker in St. Louis started out with the President and Ameristar.
"Harrah's added a poker room and we saw an increase in our play," he said. "People became more aware." He said their business was 80 percent in

As time passes more and more

poker rooms will host poker charities events. Online poker rooms have now alotted advertising dollars to host events that will boost there image around the world. Online poker or poker tournaments mean entertainment and high advertising dollars. So as one correspondant writer poker is with us for the long online poker ride.

Online Poker Bluffing

2005-04-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

As anyone whose been around poker more than a week, you know bluffing is a very important part of any poker game. However, the art of bluffing is something that takes alot of time and study to master, and often those who think they've got it down are actually the ones who are the worst bluffers in the world.

This short article won't make you an expert in bluffing, but it will definitely give you something to think about, and will at least start you on your path to mastering the art.

When bluffing, you should take all of these factors into consideration:

1. Is it a loose or tight table?

As a general rule, bluffs have a better chance to work well at tight tables, and are pretty much doomed to failure at loose tables, unless all the "loose players" have already folded.

2. What are the table limits?

In low limit games, theres really no point in bluffing. For a buck or 2, you can bet that most of the time someone will call your bluff. High limits, and especially no limit games, bluffing is at its most effective.

3. Who are you trying to bluff?

Weak players are harder to bluff than strong ones. I know it sounds backwards, but its generally true. Weak players tend to be loose and just can't stand not knowing what you have. They'll call. Strong players won't call as many bluffs, unless they have very strong cards or have you figured out by your "tells".

Don't bluff at big chip stacks. They have the chips to absorb a loss, and are more likely to call. On the flip side, bluff at the short stackers. They're protecting their chips like a hen on her eggs and faced with any real challenge they may chicken out.

Don't often try to bluff known loose cannon players. Do I even have to mention this here? They're more likely to raise your bluff than fold their cards.

4. How many are you trying to bluff?

Common sense tells you that the more people you are trying to bluff, the less chance you have of it working. Remember, your goal is for everyone to fold.

5. What position are you in?

Bluff from late position whenever possible. If everyone is checking, calling or folding in front of you, its a perfect time to try and buy the pot. Its not wise to bluff from early position, because you have no clue as to who has hit their hand or been dealt killer cards.

6. Do you have any outs?

Many would argue that to bluff with "outs" isn't a true bluff. But from my experience, you're better served bluffing when there is at least an outside chance of you forming a decent hand. This is also referred to as a “semi-bluff,“ and is made when there are still cards to come.

For example, you are dealt AK in a Texas Hold'em game and the flop completely misses you with a board showing J, T, 3. This might represent a good time to go ahead and bluff at the pot. You are representing a big pair or that you caught a piece of the flop, and your show of strength might prompt the rest of the table to fold, giving you the pot right there. However, even if someone does call your bluff, you have outs. An ace or king on the turn or river gives you top pair, and if a queen hits, you have the nut straight. Bluffing with "outs" simply means that even if the bluff does not work, you're not completely dead in the water.

7. What is your table image?

So many people think that if they bluff alot and play loose and crazy poker, it makes their bluffs stronger because noone can ever be sure what they have. It actually works the exact opposite. As anyone whose played long knows, great cards don't come often, so the chance that the wild player is holding trash is generally higher than the chance that hes got good cards. Therefore, strong players almost always call crazy bluffers. On the other hand, its very very hard to call someones bluff who always plays good cards. When you have the image of a strong player who throws away the trash cards, the other people at the table know that odds are you have good cards, and to call the bluff is taking a big risk. Play a good number of hands at any one table and build your table image before trying to bluff.

Final thought:

This is just a beginners list. There are so many more things that can be learned and added to fine tune the "bluffing" section of your game. But if you'll build your image as a strong player and pick your spots carefully, bluffing can buy you alot of pots.

Poker Players to Learn from the Pros at Camp Hellmuth

2005-04-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

Come August, poker aficionados can immerse themselves in an entire weekend of intensive poker training led by poker champ Phil Hellmuth.

The four day boot camp, tagged "Camp Hellmuth," will convene at Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, the traditional headquarters of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Although the actual training camp will be held at Binion's, participants will stay at the Strip's Caesars' Palace.

The seminar will feature intensive theoretical strategy tutorials, in addition to hands-on training, culminating in a no-limit poker tournament, which will boast a prize pool of up to $100,000, depending on the number of attendees.

Aside from Hellmuth, a number of additional poker stars will offer their expertise. The roster includes poker legends T. J. Cloutier and John Bonetti, in addition to Barry and Jeff Shulman, David Williams, Josh Arieh and Evelyn Ng.

Learning from the pros, however, does not come cheap, and Camp Hellmuth is no exception at $3,499. Nevertheless, a number of discounts are available.

Players registering before June 1st can sign up for $150 less and discounts are also available for participants who bring a friend to the poker camp. Players not needing accommodations will also have registrations fees slashed.

More information is available at the official Camp Hellmuth website, www.camphellmuth.com.

Danish Poker Star launches Online Poker Strategy

2005-04-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Khalsa News Network -- Online poker star poker and texas hold’em author Kim Birch launched his winning online poker course and website at http://www.onlinepokeradvantage.com and is giving interviews to both Danish media and international publications such as the UK gambling magazine Inside Edge.

Since 2002 the author has been earning an annual six figure income playing online poker in both live money and Sit and Go tournaments and is ready to share his experiences and teach the average poker player how to skyrocket their winnings online like he has been doing for almost 4 years now.

The author is also one of the few fulltime professional Danish poker players and attend poker tournaments all over the world regularly.

When asked about the upcoming WSOP The online poker professional who is also known as “pokerhit” is happy to announce that he is attending his first world series of poker later this year after winning an online WSOP qualifier tournament at http://www.empirepoker.com for the main event.

Kim Birch will be followed close by Danish TV cameras as he hope to beat his fellow Danish poker star Gus Hansen which he has been battling against in other major tournaments this year.

Gus Hansen and Kim Birch are the two biggest poker stars in Denmark and Scandinavia. Gus is the superstar of the World poker tour and Kim is the undisputed champ of online poker and a feared tournament player around Europe.

For people interested in playing online poker or winning a seat to the world series of poker 2005 Kim Birch has made arrangements with his favourite online poker room empire poker and can offer anyone making their first deposit with the special bonus code: POKERHIT to get up-to $100 for free.

For the people interested in just playing a few online tournaments and having a chance to win a seat at the 2005 world series of poker can just use the bonus code: POKERHIT25 and will get $25 for free no mater how much they deposits.

For the first time ever, the 2005 WSOP will be held at Harrah's Rio Suites, Las Vegas with the final 2 days of the Main event concluded at in its traditional location, The Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas.

The WSOP is unequalled by any other poker event in the world today, and it is considered by all to be the ultimate achievement in any poker players career, to gain that coveted title of World Champion.

In the year of 2004, Greg 'Fossilman' Raymer beat the other 2,576 players to win the title and 5 million dollars for his buy-in stake of $10,000, which in fact he won via an online poker site, for an original stake of $40.

poker strategies and the WPS poker tour

2005-04-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

Has popularity of Texas Hold'Em, gone from the back room to the board room? Small Town Poker Tour Show, Executive Producer, Mark Fracalossi, would neither confirm or deny the buzz that is surrounding the story. The Small Town Poker Tour Show is a new television show set to hit the air.

"I have received countless calls the past few days asking me to confirm the Trump-Burnett connection," Fracalossi said. "All I can say at this time we have some interesting proposals on the table, and we have not finalized the broadcast end of the deal, what I can say, Make it Happen Productions, a Los Angeles based production company and Billy Frank Creative Director/Executive Producer, have partnered with us to produce the show".

Make It Happen is a full-service production company that specializes in fully-executed productions from conception through postproduction. "It's not that bad having your name and project associated with such a great American Icon," Fracalossi said.

The show will add a new grass roots look to the nations fastest growing card game Texas Hold'em. The Poker Show will be different from the rest, "We put more on the people aspect and feature unique locations." It will also raise money for charity along the way. The Tour comes to town everyone who lives in that state is invited out to play, 100% of the money is given to a local charity. All of America will get to vote on the Towns the tour visits. The tour will travel all 50 States, in search of the best amature poker player in America.

"We are going to take poker back to where it all started", Fracalossi said. "Everyone views the shows now with their high stakes, and flashy sets, but the roots of Poker games can be found in every small town in the USA."

So don't be surprised if you see someone who looks like the grandmother next door or the guy who bags items at your local store at the final poker table or you read it in a poker magazine. "Our goal is to make this a fund raising machine for the towns we visit".

The WPS poker tour has reinvented the way it produces poker tournaments. They complement on the fact that Texas Holdem and Omaha Hi/Lo. So please sign Up today for a chance at winning big prizes for our poker tournament.

Poker Strategies and Poker Book Signing by Doyle Brunson

2005-03-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

By RazzO and Mo Kings
March 16, 2005

It seems The Poker Web is at it again. Today RazzO and Mo Kings from The Poker Web Exclusive have teamed up to give you a look into the lifestyle of the greatest poker legend that ever lived. Yesterday Rio Hotel in Las Vegas hosted Doyle Brunson's book signing event. The people were many who showed up to get the Hottest selling Book on the market out into the hands of poker players. Doyle Brunson's Super System II , a course in power poker, will by far be the hottest selling poker book in 2005. From beginners to old school, many lined up to have Doyle Brunson sign their copy of his latest book to hit the book shelves. As a Poker Web Exclusive, RazzO from RazzO.com got up close and personal to Doyle Brunson and all the famed guests at the event, taking a mountain of pictures that will discover a glimpse into the lifestyle of poker legend Doyle Brunson.

Buy Now: Super System II by Doyle Brunson

The book signing event was a great success many poker players from all around Vegas made an appearance into the Rio Hotel to witness a poker legend. “The crowds were great, people waited their turn to have Doyle sign their book. It was an exciting event, people walked away with smiles and relished the moment.” said RazzO while making his way through the crowds. So if you love poker and want to keep on learning more check out Doyle Brunson's latest poker book, Super System II .

Poker Strategies The art of Bluffing

2005-03-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

Poker is a game of Skill. you can win with almost any hand and the key to winning at poker ashion is by way of the Poker Bluff. The art of poker bluffing is based on the way you portray your poker tell. A poker strategy that we consider very important for you to win is by way of Bluffing. How to learn how to Bluff?

This is a question for the ages. you learn how to bluff by playing and paying close attention to people and their table poker tells. shifting your eyes, how you sit at the table what happens during your tells during a poker game.

Poker strategies are many but learn to bluff and you'll win more than you can imagine. this was a brief poker strategy session please come back to visit for more of our poker strategies.

m

Poker Tips

2005-02-22T17:17:00.000-08:00

The best online poker tips can be found at the poker web.com a unique and fascinating site about poker and all the best qualities.

Think Poker and play online poker at all the best poker strategies on the net.

poker strategies are found at the hardrockpokerclub.com where all the poker rockers hang out so check out all the best rockers playing online poker.

mopoker

Poker Strategies News

2005-02-10T16:56:00.000-08:00

Poker with World Series winner Chris Moneymaker not your average
Canada
NEW YORK (AP) - Playing poker with Chris Moneymaker, the accountant who came out of nowhere to win the 2003 World Series of Poker, is a bit like shooting hoops

Paddy Power signs poker deal with Tribeca
Ireland Online - Ireland
Ireland's largest bookmaker, ISEQ-listed Paddy Power, has signed an online poker deal with Tribeca Tables Europe, joining Tribeca's other customers

World Poker Exchange Announces $2 Million London Tournament
Heidelberg,Germany
The World Poker Exchange, one of the world's fastest growing onlinepoker sites, has announced today that it will host The London Open at

5 more tribes to offer blackjack, poker
NewsOK.com (subscription) - Oklahoma City,OK,USA
Five more Indian tribes, including the state's largest gaming tribe, became eligible this week to offer blackjack and poker. Poker will come later, she said.

The Latest: All in for poker
ASU Web Devil - Tempe,AZ,USA
They are playing poker, now the hottest game in Hollywood and dorm rooms across the country. The variety and popularity of poker

Online casino regulator forms alliance with Global Gambling
DMeurope.com - Netherlands
Ecogra Seal casino and poker operators will be required to implement these detailed policies as part of the generally accepted practices (eGAP), and compliance

Saturday poker run will benefit Red Cross
Oceana County Herald Journal - Hart,MI,USA
The poker run will involve going to businesses throughout the Walkerville area, including various restaurants, bars and grocery stores, to pick up poker chips

Five More Tribes Approved for Blackjack, Poker
KTEN - Denison,TX,USA
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Five more Indian tribes have won federal approval to offer blackjack and poker at their casinos. The Choctaw

Two poker-game thieves get six years
Newark Advocate - Newark,OH,USA
NEWARK -- Two Columbus teenagers accused of robbing a poker game at gunpoint decided to change their pleas to guilty on Wednesday and let the chips fall where

Poker rules keep sanity in the game
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Fort Wayne,IN,USA
By Steve Brewer. Poker has taken the country by storm. TV ratings are so good that a dozen cable channels now feature poker tournaments as regular programming.

Internet Gambling Soars

2005-02-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

Reuters

The amount people are gambling over the Internet has increased more than six times in the last year, according to a survey by online casino 888.com.

Ten percent of women and 16 percent of men said they would consider gambling all of their worldly possessions for a US$5 million jackpot, said 888.com on Tuesday, which analysts say may be the next online casino to list on the London Stock Exchange.

Its survey of over 2700 people on streets around Britain found a 566 percent increase in the amount of money they staked online since the end of 2003.

Online gambling is becoming a booming industry in Britain, one of the few jurisdictions where it is welcomed.

Last week, the world's biggest online poker company, PartyGaming, said it was considering what would be one of London's largest listings in over three years - estimated at over 3 billion pounds.

And in October, shares in Sportingbet - the world's biggest online betting firm overall - soared by over 50 percent following its acquisition of Paradise Poker, a rival to PartyGaming fronted by American supermodel Caprice.

Moves to ease gambling regulation have hit resistance from anti-addiction campaigners and the tabloid media.

Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, told Reuters there was little evidence so far that gambling over the Internet is more harmful than other gambling.

He warned that it was possible, however, that gambling with virtual money lowered its psychological value and that online casinos could cause problems for those with addictions because it is available 24 hours a day.

888.com on Tuesday announced its international membership had risen to 13 million this week from 2.7 million in 2002.

Poker player surprises himself

2005-01-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

Medford man wins fourth place in World Poker Tour contest

By SARAH LEMON
Mail Tribune

Medford’s Patrick Hocking earned
more than $200,000 in a recent
World Poker Tour contest in the
Bahamas.
Mail Tribune / Jim Craven

Patrick Hocking didn’t earn his nickname playing poker. But it fits.

"The Hawk" played a killer small-stakes game for 20 years before swiping the fourth-place title from many a seasoned professional in last week’s World Poker Tour contest in the Bahamas.

Hocking earned the Texas Hold ‘Em tournament bid after posting $160 and winning an Internet contest in early December. Betting on spending a dream vacation at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, Hocking little dreamed he would end up at the tournament’s final table and take home $207,700. PokerStars.com paid his airfare, food and lodging.

"I just assumed I’d go over there and get my butt kicked, and we’d have a fun vacation," he said.

Instead, the patient Hawk maintained his own tight, conservative game through five grueling days of play, striking when he felt the time was right. Initially suffering a sore back and neck, Hocking said he found each 10-hour day got progressively easier. His best investment was a pair of wrap-around, prescription sunglasses that he wore, not to intimidate, but to hide his nervousness.

Hocking’s strategy included calculating pot odds and the likelihood of hitting a hand — combined with gut instinct. He bluffed at several key junctures, but never when his entire stack was at stake, Hocking said. He was slightly surprised to win several large hands with just an ace-high — a risky collection of mismatched cards and one ace.

"It’s a game that has a tremendous amount of science involved," said the 43-year-old former certified public accountant, now turned Asante department head.
Hocking was tickled to land among the top 80 players, each of whom takes home $11,600. He was amazed to win $200,000 pots against the likes of Erick Lindgren, a former World Poker Tour player of the year. Hocking will appear on the tour’s Travel Channel broadcast in May. Back home in Medford, his family wasn’t a bit surprised to hear the news.

"He’s just as smart as any of those other people," said sister Terri Parker, 41, of Medford.

Hocking’s three daughters avidly followed their father’s rise once they wore themselves out on the resort’s water slides. As minors are barred from the poker room, Jessica, Hannah and Abigail listened to each play via speakers in the hotel hallways. But the girls spent the last day in a discovery camp while Hocking’s wife, Natalie, cheered his efforts at the final table.

The stakes rapidly increasing, Hocking struggled to get a hand in the final round. Holding an ace and a seven as his highest cards, he was knocked out.
"I was just blown away to even qualify for it," he said.

He figures to pay about $75,000 in taxes on his winnings, yet said he will likely donate some of his take to charity and maybe start a college fund for his daughters. While calling the whole experience an incredible product of luck, Hocking is now setting his sights on the Las Vegas World Series of Poker this July.

Given just a little more luck, the Hawk may fly again.
Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail
slemon@mailtribune.com

Learn Poker Strategies at Poker Cruise 2005

2005-01-13T23:38:00.000-08:00

25 days left fot the WPS Caribbean Event poker cruise 2005. This is a 7 day cruise which has teaching tables explaining poker strategies and the like. Chance to join Chris Moneymaker and other poker professionals at the teaching tables.

Don't miss out on the prize pool of $750,000 dollars. Your entry fee into first $100 buy in poker tournament is included.

Here is the easy to Sign-Up-Now-Link.
Don't miss the Boat! Royal Caribbean Cruise lines aboard the "Mariner of the Seas". Have a fantastic pre-view

PS: More information can be found on one of the World Poker Showdown Links or here: Poker-Cruise.com

25 Days Left Poker Crusie February 2005

2005-01-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

25 days left fot the WPS Caribbean Event poker cruise 2005. Don't miss out on the prize pool of $750,000 dollars. This is a 7 day cruise which has teaching tables explaining poker strategies and the like.

Sign Up Now, and don't miss the Boat! Royal Caribbean Cruise lines aboard the marinar of the Seas.

mo

ps. more information can be found on poker-cruise.com