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
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)
Brits Rule!
The 2009 World Series of Poker saw three UK Players win Bracelets, while one of them made it all the way to the final table of the main event. This episode of play was considered great for U.K poker at the time. 2009 was perhaps the ‘Year of the Brit’, if you will, but as we see today it may have only been the beginning of recognizable U.K. poker play on the world’s stage.
2009 would not be the last year of impressive U.K. play. This year too, U.K. players showed up to snatch a total of five World Series of Poker Bracelets in Vegas. Between this year’s Poker in the Park, and now the victory of these six pioneers U.K. poker is finally being recognized as it rightfully deserves.
2010 proved to not only be the most successful year for the U.K. but can also be celebrated as the largest amount of winnings from a non US country. Furthermore, it should be noted here that not only did the Brit out play many of the other nationals in Vegas, but worldwide, the UK has been picking up tremendous steam. Just look at this; Jake Cody defeated EPT Deauville, James Mitchell was crowned the victor of the Irish Open and Liv Boeree shocked most when by defeating all odds by winning EPT San Remo.
Here is a brief look at the British World Series of Poker players and their good fortunate. Praz Bansi was able to win his second bracelet by taking down Event Number #5: $1,500 No Limit for $515,501. James Dempsey ripped through Event Number # 9: $1500 Pot Limit Hold’em and following in his trailblazing footsteps was Richard Ashby who earned $197,470 and went onto win Event #21: $1,500 Seven Card Stud for $140,467. Finally you have Grand Final Champ Mike Ellis who went in to win Event #30: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em for $581,851, and of course the amazing Steve Jelinek defeated all in Event #41: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better for $245,871.
Show me your cards!
Who is the most agitating player at the poker table? How about the individual who is adamant to display his cards when he is the last to fold, or when he wins a pot without a showdown.
You give in to him in the big blind and he turns around and shows you that he was holding, which is often not too impressive. If you get him to fold, he’ll show you that he can make a tough laydown when he folds top pair, top kicker. This is quite common.
However, someone who shows their poker cards every so often is not obnoxious, here, we find that there may a reasonable need to do so. Although most do not subscribe to this style, arguing, why would one want to give his opposition information, there are a few circumstances where this works in your favour.
The primary component to this strategy is found in the core stages of a tournament- the goal being, you are trying to catch as many blinds and antes as you can from players who are desperately trying to score. The more strapped your opponents think you are the better the chances that they will fold to your raises. Especially if you are aware that you are a tight player, then all the more reason that you want to make sure that everyone else knows too.
Therefore, during the core, mid-stage of a tournament you ought to go ahead and display a few strong hands after everyone else folds. If you can lay some seeds down, those that make the other players believe that when your chips move in, you mean business.
Another quick point in advocating the display of cards is if you have had a successful streak of raises; after a few of these hands, you suspect that your opponents will become dubious towards your next hand. This is a good moment to think about showing your hand. It should be underlined here that if you feel the necessity to show your cards, in whatever circumstance, then you should do so. Poker works on style so add your own; just know what you are doing first.
The old vs. the young lady
The old vs. the young lady at the PokerStars.net North American Poker Tour (NAPT)
Three of five finalists, at the PokerStars.net North American Poker Tour Mohegan Sun Main Event this past Sunday, April 11th, were relatively young players – but as it goes poker doesn’t discriminate based on gender or age.
Mike Beasley, 46, finishing second and Mike Woods, 53, placing third have been playing at poker tables for more than twenty years. Beasley, a gentlemen’s club owner from the sunshine state of Florida was keen on using his age to his advantage against the younger players. His winnings, 428,000, not only satisfied his wallet, but his ego as well.
Meanwhile, Woods placed third in the Main Event against many contenders half his age. Removing his University of Virginia cap, Woods replaced it with a cool black hat from PokerStars. Beasley also came to sport a PokerStars logo on his jacket.
Also wearing some new style was first place winner, Ms. Vanessa Selbst, 26, from Brooklyn, Ny. The Full Tilt logos made a strong impression on the jacket of the Yale Law school student. Vanessa’s section was especially cute and witty. Displaying thoughtful signs which screamed sex and support, like, “I’m gay for Vanessa” and “V for Vanessa,” the young lady made her impression felt two fold, not only as a woman, but as a successful woman at that.
Vanessa won the main event, at the 2010 PokerStars.net, ahead of all the competing men. She went home with $750,000.
Vanessa has made her way to five final table games, including two heads-up semi-finals at the World Series of Poker, as well as a winning hand at the 2008 World Series of Poker $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. She is a young and has a long way to go, but is still considered to be force to reckoned with.
Florida slated to get its first blackjack table
Casino agreement
With a Casino agreement looking more likely to pass in Florida, the Seminole Tribe announced that they believe Governor Charlie Crist has, after three years, finally come to see eye to eye with the Tallahassee Casino bloc.
Slated for this week, the legislation will seek to ensure $1 billion over the next five years for the state, with a possible extension to an additional $500 million. The Seminole tribal council is expected to review and give a go-ahead to the proposed state agreement. It will then move onto to be ratified by the House and Senate towards the end of the week, perhaps by Thursday, April 8th.
Criticism against Governor Crist is directed to his “over-accommodating” stance towards the state tribes. Up until now, card games have not been legal in Florida. Previously, the notion that blackjack, baccarat and chemin de fer tables would be open in the state of Florida knocked down any angle to forge an agreement.
At the end of the five-year phase, the Legislature will be able make two drastically different decisions. Either pass a law allowing the tribe to continue, or place a demand to stop the games. The legislation may also petition to branch casinos into other sections of Florida, which, in turn, would bring the Seminole’s own costs down.
If lawmakers do not act after the five year plan than the permission granted will lapse and the tribe will need to pay the state in order maintain its operation of Las Vegas-style, or Class III, slot machines over the next 15 years.