And the online Poker champion is…
The PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker set sail on September 5th and was marked by two massive events, both of which brought an unprecedented number of players and payouts. The WCOOP kicked off with Event 1 – $215 No Limit Hold’em 6-max tournament. The epic match set a $1.25 million prize pool, which was dramatically increased when 9,001 players ramped up the potential winnings to $1.8 million.
The most represented online poker site was PokerStars, who came in with 56 pro players. In the end, eleven of the PokerStars players cashed out. In the lead for the giant online poker room was Randy “nanonoko” Lew – 33rd, Noah “Exclusive” Boeken – 87th and Barry “barryg1? Greenstein coming – 110th.
Blowing everything out of proportion was AlexKP, who held an enormous advantage over the others (71.5 million to 18.5 million). He entered the tourney with “Tutanharmon1”, which made for some interesting poker jockeying. In the end, AlexKP declined to chop and instead said to his challenging opponent shrewdly, “If you get to 30 million we can talk.”
Tutanharmon1 eventually reached 30 million plus, and again he floated the idea of a chop, this time however AlexKP went for it and agreed for an uneven chop, which left $25,000 to be handed to the victor. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, AlexKP tore into his opponent’s chips, added the $25K and tallied his total earnings into a gigantic $257,000 prize. Meanwhile, Tutanharmon1 completed play with a respectable $198,274.48.
The second Event (2) saw “CrabMaki” hit the $10,300 No Limit Hold’em High Roller tournament with a vengeance. He crushed the 313-player field and stood as a major wrecking force throughout. A nut flush during the final hand secured the championship for CrabMaki against Ville Wahlbeck. The $605,655 top prize ended up on CrabMaki’s table side, thus concluding a stunning first day of at the 9th WCOOP. Out of the 313 active players, 21 of them were from PokerStars pros.
A Triple Threat – Jake Cody
Twenty two years old and narrowing in on a poker triple crowd defines the rising UK star, Jake Cody. Cody has recently been anointed as champion to the first ever WPT London Poker Classic Main Event, held this past week. Hailing from Rochdale, UK, the young Jedi reigned in his first WPT title with a cheque for GBP 273,783. As a result he is considered two thirds closer to locking in a triple crown – his win at EPT Deauville earlier this year kick started the triple crown threat.
In a strange twist of poker politics, Cody’s victory not only earned him respect and cash but also ended up saving Party Poker $1 million in a bonus promised to 21-year-old Swedish online qualifier Kristoffer Thorsson. The young Swede was slated to take home this massive bonus by finishing first in the tournament. Thorsson finished fourth, while fellow Swede Nichlas Mattsson ended the action as the runner-up.
Thorsson’s command over most of the players was completed at the final table when Cody pulled the trigger and demolished the competition. The large crowd of spectators watched with fervor from the Palm Beach Casino in Mayfair.
Cody said, “This is crazy – I am so happy to win my first WPT title… I was totally aware there was huge pressure on Kristoffer because of the extra $1 million bonus. I thought he did well and actually believe he was the best player at the table.”
Coby’s moniker as “The Grim Reaper” is proving to be an accurate description of how other poker players view him, especially now after this massive win in the first ever World Poker Tour London Poker Classic. This accomplishment is linked to Coby’s victory at the European Poker Tour Deauville last January.
Now all what is awaiting Coby is the World Series of Poker title and he will have accomplished a remarkable feat.
Why Phil Ivey deserves the Hall of Fame nod
Out of all of the potential players who may be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame for 2010 one player who overshadows the rest. Phil Ivey is without a doubt the best poker player of the day. His weight is felt heavily in each poker vertical, including Omaha and Stud. His across the board domination has earned him over $40,000,000. Ivey will either be placed in the hall of fame this year or next.
Phil Ivey, at 34, is listed in 2010 as first in the world among all-time money winners in tournament poker. He is revered by his opponents and poker enthusiasts and is known as the best all-around player in the world today. Ivey has appeared at eight World Poker Tour final tables, won eight World Series of Poker bracelets and one World Poker Tour title. He’s fearless, enjoys a wealthy lifestyle, and wins big at his favorite sport.
At the 2010 WSOP, Ivey won his eighth bracelet in H.O.R.S.E. which got him $329,840. He has been called ‘the Tiger Woods of Poker’. Ivey is the youngest player to win eight (Phil Hellmuth was 39). In addition, no other player has accumulated eight bracelets more quickly; it took Ivey only ten years from the time of his first bracelet to his eighth, (it took Johnny Moss 11 years).
Ivey is first on the all-time money list with over $14 million in tournament earnings. Ivey lives in Las Vegas and is a regular participant in the $4,000-$8,000 mixed cash game at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. In February 2006, he played heads-up Limit Texas Hold’em against Texas billionaire Andy Beal. With stakes at $25,000/$50,000, Ivey won over $16,000,000 over the course of three days. A group of poker professionals joined Ivey, called themselves “The Corporation”, pooled their money and took turns playing against Beal. Earlier in the month, Beal beat the Corporation out of $10,000,000. After losing to Ivey, Beal claimed that he was giving up poker. But he had said that before.
Ivey was taught poker by his grandfather at a young age in New Jersey where he grow up. He was hooked immediately. He is known for his intense and intimidating look when he plays poker. His eyes dart back and forth and he’s been called cold hearted. Ivey has a generous side and has started a charity and given money to a number of charitable causes. He is the one to watch.
And the Poker Hall of Fame Winner is…
All votes are in! The judges for the 2010 Poker Hall of Fame have now collected their ballots and are slated to vote on a short line of ten players in order to determine the next hall of fame poker player.
On this year’s panel are Doyle Brunson, a ten time WSOP bracelet winner; eleven time WSOP bracelet winner, Phil Hellmuth, and 2009 hall of fame inductee Mike Sexton. These men will link with seventeen other industry leaders to determine the next legend of poker.
The top two poker stars who will enter the hall of fame will be selected be selected by a point system. Based on a ten point rating system between the candidates the leading two players will allowed induction before beginning of the final table at the World Series of Poker 10,000 Main Event in November. A cool $9 million will be awarded to the crowned king of the World Series final table.
Some of the contestants for this years vote are: Erik Seidel, Dan Harrington, Phil Ivey, Tom McEvoy, Barry Greenstein and Daniel Negreanu. One or two players selected from a publically voted shortlist will make it in. Here is a quick look at two of the more intriguing potentials:
Chris Ferguson, or better known by his moniker “Jesus” is leveraging his 2001 World Series of Poker Main Event championship and partial ownership of Full Tilt Poker to reign in the hall of fame nod. Despite his semi-impressive accolades he has not been in many high stakes games recently and has not really reached the level of a hall of famer.
Barry Greenstein, also know by his nick-name, the ‘Robin Hood of Poker’ is well known for charitable donations, two WPT titles, and three WSOP bracelets. His induction would not be surprising, especially after his popular book, Ace on the River.
World Series of Poker Europe part III
Three is the magic number as the third World Series of Poker Europe launches September, 14, 2010, at The Empire Casino in Leicester Square in London.
If you have never been to a World Series of Poker event this is the one to check out. Aside from the guest list of poker celebrities and charming events you will have history unfolding in front of your eyes.
One of the new and more exciting events to begin is a back to back day of £2,500 No-Limit Holdem. This 6-max tournament will be followed by the £5,000 PLO event; the £1,000 No-Limit Holdem event and the £10,000 Main Event. Meanwhile, the £10,000 heads-up High Roller tournament is slated to start up on Tuesday, September 21st.
One interesting angle to pay attention to here is the politics behind potential wins. Certain bracelet bets have been made by some of the more esteemed leaders in the game. If Tom Dwan receives a bracelet he will then break even with Phil Ivey and in effect win the other bets; however, if Ivey wins a bracelet he will successfully draw a ridiculous sum of $5,000,000 from the Full Tilt Poker boss himself, Mr. Howard Lederer.
For all of us who wait for showdowns like this, the details coming out of London now are extremely interesting and exciting. Stay tuned for more news but for now check out the WSOE schedule to stay with the action.
WSOPE Schedule
Event #1: £2,500 Six Handed No Limit Hold’em Tue 14 Sep – Thu 16 Sep
Event #2: £5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Thu 16 Sep – Sat 18 Sep
Event #3: £1,000 No Limit Hold’em Fri 17 Sep – Tue 21 Sep
Event #4: £10,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Heads-Up Tue 21 Sep – Thu 23 Sep
Event #5: £10,000 WSOPE Championship No Limit Hold’em Thu 23 Sep – Tue 28 Sep
The 2010 European Poker Tour main event
Vilamoura, Portugal is the home to the 2010 European Poker Tour main event, but so far this year’s European Poker Tour is being owned by the U.K. Similar to the shocking win by Liv Boeree at EPT 2010 in San Remo and James Mitchell at the Irish Open, Vilamoura is seeing U.K. players carrying the top three spots at the final table. Now let’s take a closer look at these U.K. players who are putting British poker even further into the limelight.
The current leader, as of September 1, 2010, is Toby Lewis (3,322,000). This young man is one the more successful online poker players in the game, at the same time he is new to poker tournaments where you’re not clicking away. Lewis is classified as number eight on online poker play in the UK (source: PocketFives).
He started his online poker career with a victory from a Brighton £200 buy-in tourney in 2009. From this point on Lewis amassed an impressive $171,669 through various live tournament prizes. His quick and relentless climb has claimed two EPT cashes. Regardless of the outcome of the European Poker Tour Lewis has already won the largest live play prize of his young career.
The U.K. runner up, so far, is Sam Trickett (3,365,000 in chips). Trickett blows away Lewis in terms of experience and earnings; in three years he has won close to $1.33 million. At the conclusion of the 2008 WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event Trickett placed fourth and was then worth only $245,927.
This time around he has made his greatest mark through six cashes ($505,725), all of which came from a tier two placement during the same event. A final win at the European Poker Tour would mean that Trickett has won his seventh tournament in only three years.
Trailing these two Brits is Teddy Sheringham (1,783,000). Without mentioning too many of his football accolades, it should be clear that Sheringham has appeared in over 51 international appearances for the English national team. As a hobby, Sheringham broke into poker in 2009 at the WSOP Europe Main Event. He finished 14th out of 334 and left with a $66,738 prize. Placing better than seventh or higher at Vilamoura will award him the largest cash out of his short career.
The British Poker Awards
There are eight of eleven categories, which are listed in full below, and the British Poker Awards will announce the winners to all of the categories on September 13th at the brand new Fox Poker Club in London. The admission price to the actual event is £100; meanwhile a £50 NLHE tournament will proceed after the ceremony. This tournament is a warm up, or teaser if you will, for the highly anticipated World Series of Poker Europe scheduled for the day after.
This is a very exciting opportunity for both the players themselves and their fans. It is a great day when fans can communicate and show support for players which they only hear about or watch from afar. The British Poker Awards will set a precedent for future players. After this U.K. national vote, players will recognize the importance of the fan and will work even harder to gain their favor.
Below is a list of nominees:
Cash Best Player:
Neil Channing
Richard Ashby
Luke Schwartz
Ben Grundy
Ben Roberts
Bambos Charalambos
Tournament Most Valuable Player:
James Akenhead
Sam Trickett
Chris Moorman
Praz Bansi
James Dempsey
JP Kelly
Best Player Online:
Chris “Moorman1? Moorman
Richard “Chufty” Ashby
Lawrence Rivermanl “Houghton
Luke “__FullFlush1__” Schwartz
Ben “milkybarkid” Grundy
Best International Player:
Phil Ivey
Tom Dwan
Patrik Antonius
Michael Mizrachi
Sorel Mizzi
Isildur1
Best Poker Legue:
Poker Tree
Redtooth poker
Masters Poker League
APAT
Champions Poker League
Poker in the Pubs
Live Poker League
Get Noticed Poker League
Nuts Poker League
Best Card Room UK:
Victoria Casino
The International Club
Dusk Till Dawn
Casino at the Empire
The G Casino chain
The Palm Beach
Bluff at the Mint
Best Contribution to the Game:
Anthony Holden
Simon Trumper
Tony Kendall
Marty Wilson
Jesse May
Victoria Coren
Best UK Poker Forum:
BlondePoker
The Hendon Mob
Aworldofpoker
SkyPoker
Gutshot
The Betfred Ladies Tour Maidenhead winner is… Raine Hilson
There was a lucky winner, who played with a warrior’s spirit at the Maidenhead Leg of the 2010 Betfred ladies’ poker tournament. Raine Hilson battled her way through 63 players which not only granted her a sweet £2,230 pot but perhaps more importantly ranked her in the Grand Final. Out of 63 serious poker players Hilson scored not only an impressive string of superior hands but she also did it with stride and grace.
Most recently Hilson placed third at Birmingham in 2008. Since then she has been anxious to get back out there and prove once and for all that she has the skills to compete and win big. Not only did she prove it to her self but she proved it to spectators and critiques alike.
The first hand qualified Hilson not only for immediate victory but for instant confidence as well. It was this first deal that gave her a real jump in the tournament and set her at ease. Getting pocket Kings in the first hand allowed her to relax more than the other players; something which is defiantly needed in mid-sized tournaments.
Also on her side was a twist of irony. The moment occurred when Hilson reached for her trusty Ipod to select her theme song and discovered that it had already been selected by the Poker gods. The song which was already cued was the Robbie Williams song ‘She’s The One’. This same Robbie Williams song was the first to play the last time she time she had a huge poker victory.
Raine Hilson is slated to join with Diane Amber, Louise Atkinson and Helena Brett at London’s Western Club for the upcoming Grand final on November 20th, 2010. In addition to the former players are six additional poker players who have the opportunity to win slots for the upcoming legs of the Betfred Ladies’ Poker Tour.
Poker in the Park
No matter what you are doing in London on August 13th to August 14th you will not be able to miss the massive amount of crowds and players at Poker in the Park at Leicester Square Park. This ultra popular event is celebrating its third anniversary and promises to be even more impressive than the previous year.
This outdoor poker tournament brings card players out from the casino and into the public light. This massive event is slated to showcase not only the love London has for poker but will demonstrate once and for all that London continues to stand as a poker capital. This is the one poker event where the bells and whistles of a casino are not needed.
Leicester Square will turn into a gigantic casino where thousands will show up to enjoy poker under the sun. Included in the tournament are generous giveaways, and pockets of entertainment. If you are an avid poker player or just simply love the mystique of the game than this is a festival for you. Not to mention, Poker in the Park is consider the largest open air poker event in Europe.
This “poker under the sun” concept also shows that poker is no longer a man’s game supported by a certain type of male instead it is a universal game which can be celebrated by all cultures, ages and sexes. The poker of yesteryear with its macho, male dominated, tables are gone, and left in its place is a poker based in entertainment and overall fun.
Novices will certainly be out in force at Poker in the Park and will be sure to soak up as many free tips and tricks as they can. Throughout the day, tutorials and free advice will be shouted at them from a handful of poker experts. From the bluffing pro to the skilled poker ace, this event will show the most inexperienced player the moves he/she need in order to survive and thrive at the poker table.
Poker in the Park takes place from Thursdsay 13th August – Friday 14th in Leicester Square Park. 5pm – 9.30pm Thursday and 12pm – 9.30pm Friday. Admission is free – 18 and older.
Get ready for the London Poker Festival – Schedule Announced
The London Poker Festival this September will be one of the biggest months for live poker the city has ever experienced. With more than 100 poker events and more than £12 million in real money poker tournaments the city of London is certainly excited. The Festival will include poker tournaments of all sizes and will feature events like the huge WPT London Poker Classic. This event will begin August 30th at the Mayfairs, Palm Beach casino. Following this live happening is the highly anticipated “Poker in the Park,” which will set Leicester Square the poker room for London between September 2nd and 3rd.
Meanwhile, beginning on September 11th is the English Poker Open. Following this seminal event is the inauguration of a new ceremonial event called The British Poker Awards. Here you will find the who’s who from the British poker community and will be held at new recently unveiled Shaftesbury avenue poker club, The Fox Club. Finally, September 14th at The Casino at the Empire will be home to the World Series of Poker Europe. Now that’s a lot of poker!
Spotlight on: The London Poker Festival.
For the third consecutive year The London Poker Festival has maintained its mystique as the Europe’s largest single poker event. Poker enthusiasts, from novice to expert throughout Europe come to Leicester Square anything for free poker lessons and tutorials hourly free poker tournaments as well as parties, music and entertainment. Included in the festivities are great deals on poker paraphernalia.
All of UK’s biggest poker leagues will be present and you never know what they will bring with along. You can be sure to see your favourite celebrity poker players including WSOP Main Event Winner Jamie Gold, who is set to host a charity tournament. For a comprehensive look at the scheduled events log onto: www.BritishPokerFestival.com.
Thursday 13th of August – (17:00 – 21:30)
Friday 14th of August – (12:00 – 21:30)