In late October I traveled to Baden, Austria for the 2012 Poker EM series. This year marked my 9th year in a row traveling to this fantastic spa town near Vienna. To be honest, I've never understood why this event isn't more popular.
Baden is found about 25km south of Vienna. It's close enough to be easily accessible by plane but far enough away that it doesn't feel urban. We've places like Baden within the Moscow region, however the problem is that once you would like to go somewhere in Moscow, you ought to be prepared to spend so much of time for your car. Traffic in Moscow is terrible.That's not the case in Baden. I REALLY LIKE that place such a lot that it the Poker EM series is definitely certainly one of my favorite poker festivals of the year.
The series is held yearly in Casinos Austria. It was an EPT stop for a couple of seasons within the early years of the EPT. In fact, in Season 2, the primary year that the EPT came to Baden, Patrik Antonius won the principle Event for his first major tournament score, worth almost €300,000. We all know how Patrik's career has gone from there.
For me, Baden is a smart place to sit back and feature some fun. The hiking within the area is magnificent, and the entire town is built on hot springs. Usually I start my days in Baden with a walk within the forest. I follow that with a swim at probably the most big swimming pool complexes, then end with a steam in a sauna or a soak within the hot springs. All of that helps clear my mind for an afternoon on the tables.
I've used a large number of that quiet time to muddle over Open-Face Chinese Poker. What a super game with an ideal future. It's spreading like a pandemic between poker players at the moment. Everybody who tries it once doesn't need to play the rest (no less than from a leisure point of view).
"I'd otherwise be playing Open-Face"
At EPT Sanremo, we played Open-Face each day on the Royal Hotel swimming pool, and a few days within the hotel lobby. At the one hand, Open-Face is a mind game with a large number of strategy and calculation. At the other hand, it's an exhilarating action game that appeals to the interior gambler in most poker players.
In Baden, we couldn't play much Open-Face because we weren't capable of play it at Casinos Austria. But I've already brought Open-Face back to Moscow and introduced it on the private game that I regularly play in. Everyone there loves the sport just up to I do.Maybe at some point I'll work out why that isn't true for Baden. Not that it bothers me an excessive amount of. I REALLY LIKE having the ability to visit a poker tournament that has a more relaxed vibe than most.
Battle of the Planets: jSorc casts a spell on final table for $12K win ^
Former champions and players who've made the overall table of the Battle of the Planets monthly $50,000.00 triple shootout freeroll often make return trips. It took two our final table players three and 4 years respectively to come back in and say hi today. But, the month tonight would go someone new as jSorc took down $12,000.00 after winning three straight tables.
Down to the general two tables of the primary round Warningstein would take out Jjinjo after hitting a turned wheel to near their match as all eyes moved over to Table 47 where nitur and jucecito held the important thing to the second one round. With the blinds as much as 150/300 ante 25 and showing no sign of stopping, the rail was getting just a little antsy to start out up the money round where everyone was assured at $195.00 for winning their first table.
When the blinds moved to 200/400 ante 50 nitur continued to be stay aggressive while picking up several preflop pots as jucecito won enough to stick away. Staying at the gas peddle, nitur pushed again from the button to 6,905 as jucecito found pocket fives [5h][5d] were plenty to make the decision. nitur's [Kc][Tc] found a 10 at the flop [Ts] [2s] [7c] [Ac] [Qs] to finish the last match and begin up the round of 81.
12ziz12 already has two Battle of the Planet freeroll final tables. September 2010 placing fifth ($2,735.00) and November 2010 taking sixth ($2,200.00). Well... make that three final tables because the Australian made short work of the table in claiming the primary seat. And after taking down Event #1-M for $131,114.57 within the SCOOP 2013 that may be carrying out tomorrow shall we say 12ziz12 is back.
Down to Gdzila versus skeldon87 for the last seat on the final table with a possible $12,500.00 or $195.00 already earned. Down 3,739 to 9,761 Gdzila would shove excessive of a min-raise by skeldon87 holding [Ks][2s]. skeldon87's mid-ace [As][9h] was enough to make the decision and enough to win the overall pot after an ace hit the flop [Jd] [Jc] [Ac] [9s] [5c] to solidify it and begin up the overall table below:
Seat 1: russunray (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: kafelnikovz (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: jSorc (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: camelino (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: skeldon87 (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: ViKtOrHaZaRd (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: blackDonii (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: 12ziz12 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: Godfatti (1500 in chips)
Out as fast as coming in
12ziz12 waited over HALF-HOUR for the last round of this triple shootout to begin and was out of the tournament in under 10 minutes after pushing a semi-bluff a little bit too far. Still within the initial 10/20 blind level with the bound showing [Ks] [7d] [8d] [Th] 12ziz12 was faced with an all-in bet by skeldon87. Holding [Jd][Ad] 12ziz12 made the decision facing pocket aces [Ac][As]. The fourth ace showed up at the river [Ah] sending 12ziz12 to the rail in ninth place ($775.00).
Russ runs away
Into the 25/50 blind level russunray would min-raise from middle position because it folded around to camelino within the big blind with pocket sixes [6s][6h] and under the starting stack. camelino would shove for 1,275 total as russunray holding big slick [Kh][Ac] made the decision for less. No card over a nine at the [2c] [9c] [2h] [4c] [5h] board and russunray went away in eighth place ($1,200.00).
In the black
As the blinds moved as much as 50/100 ViKtOrHaZaRd slipped to only 790 chips and was in a position to open shove with a small ace [Ac][5d] from early position. Unfortunately, blackDonii one to the left was desperate to call any bets with pocket aces [Ah][As]. No miracles on any streets here [7c] [7d] [Qs] [9d] [Tc] and ViKtOrHaZaRd left in seventh place ($1,700.00).
12 chips? 12 chips
That's all kafelnikovz had left tangling with jSorc. With the blinds moving as much as 125/250 ante 25 and still six players remaining kafelnikovz would attempt to bully jSorc with a shove from the small blind. Holding a good heads-up ace [9c][Ad] jSorc made the proper call kafelnikovz flipped up a smaller ace [5s][As]. Both players would pair their kickers [9s] [Ks] [7h] [3c] [5d] leaving kafelnikovz with 12 chips. Two hands later kafelnikovz would officially receive sixth place cash ($2,200.00).
A familiar face
It could have been many years ago but Godfatti chopped up this freeroll back in 2009 and was trying to accomplish that again nearly four years later. Two hands after kafelnikovz took leave Godfatti took a shot holding just 529 chips by shoving all-in barely over the five hundred chip raise by skeldon87. skeldon87 made the decision with pocket sevens [7s][7h] and managed to take the 1,433 chip pot after the [6h] [Qh] [8c] [3d] [Qd] didn't hook up with Godfatti's [5d][As]. RATHER LESS than last time, but Godfatti earned $2,735.00 in fifth place.
Fast to the finish
Just three hands later camelino would take a shot at improving a shortstack against the sizable 125/250 ante 25 blinds. Open shoving from the cutoff for 1,805 as skeldon87 went in search of a second straight elimination by re-shoving from the button with pocket sixes [6s][6c]. Despite flopping a flush draw [Ac] [Kd] [Ad] [Qs] [2h] camelino's [Td][8d] would miss the board enough to ship the 4,085 pot to skeldon87 as camelino earned $3,350.00 in fourth place.
Black magic?
jSorc needed to cast some more or less spell over backDonii who took down six hands in row to get the Hungarian to take a seat for once. Firing 4,363 chips into the pot from the button was a tight approach to get blackDonii to fold but skeldon87 didn't. Holding pocket jacks [Jc][Js] skeldon87 made the decision for less as jSorc showed a wedding in diamonds [Qd][Kd] which quickly found another queen at the [Qh] [5h] [8h] [2h] [5d] board to say the 7,769 chip pot and send $4,500.00 with skeldon87 in third place.
Minute to win it
Ten hands and jSorc never let go of the lead. It could only take a minute to get through those ten hands and claim the $12,000.00 along side the May Battle of the Planets title. Watch below:
RSS readers please click through to view video
Down to 2,715 chips blackDonii would shove excessive of jSorc's raise holding [Th][Kc] as jSorc made the decision with [As][Jh]. An ace at the turn [6c] [9s] [5s] [Ah] [5c] would shutdown blackDonii for the evening as jSorc claimed all of the $12,000.00 first place prize!
PokerStars Battle of the Planets May $50,000 freeroll (Triple Shootout) results
The great American songwriter Randy Newman once joked, "South America stole our name!"
While Newman was commenting at the jingoistic atmosphere of the times, he might well has been predicting the arrival of the PokerStars Americas Cup of Poker (well, maybe not, not, but it's close!). In any case, the Americas Cup is back, and it'll pit countries from across the Americas (yes, they all) against one another for the title.
From March 15-April 14 players from the USA, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil and Argentina may be battling for spots on their country's team. There'll even be a 10th team made from the remainder Latin American counties.
In all, the players from the 10 teams will compete in a sequence of points tournaments. The four players who accumulate probably the most points will represent their country on the live final--if their team makes it there.
When the entire matches are complete, the six countries with probably the most wins will automatically qualify for the live final. The remainder four teams will then play off for the general two positions.
Then in May, the eight teams will travel to Iguazu Falls at the border of Brazil and Argentina. There they're going to compete for a share of $150,000 and the Americas Cup title.
Photo: Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it
Even in the event you do not want to spend the pennies it costs to get involved, tickets to the $0.11 tournaments are available free SNGS which might be running always within the Tourney-Regional element of the PokerStars lobby.
For an entire schedule and more information, visit the PokerStars Americas Cup of Poker homepage.
Figueira da Foz is most known for its beach and for being the mouth of the most important Portuguese river, the Mondego. But from this weekend on, it will likely be often referred to as town where one of the vital biggest poker tournaments held in Portugal came about. The Portugal Poker Series Figueira starts on 10th June and there's a lot more too see than an ordinary poker tournament. Starting on a heads up match between a former Portuguese basketball star and a former Portuguese football star...
That's right! Before the Day 1B starts on Saturday, Portuguese Team PokerStars Pro João Nunes - who's also a former basketball professional player - will face Paulo Futre, among the finest Portuguese footballers ever, in a Texas Hold'em heads up match in Casino da Figueira. Futre confesses that "João Nunes is the #1, but in 1987, after I was in FC Porto, we also defeated the massive Bayern Munich within the Champions League final. So... Why not?"
Former Portuguese football star, Paulo Futre
Futre is confident for the challenge, as he always was throughout his life. At the Portuguese national team he played 41 matches and scored 6 goals, during a career that included superb performances in Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, Atlético Madrid, Benfica, Olympique Marseille, Reggiana, AC Milan, West Ham and Yokohama Flugels. After 15 years, 320 matches and 79 goals, Futre retired from the pitches and is nowadays a successful businessman who participated in lots of PokerStars events in Spain. This will likely be his first appearance in a poker tournament in Portugal.
That's only one more condiment of a giant event so one can attract to Portugal many pros and a number of other PokerStars players who qualified for this €700+€70 tournament in the course of the PokerStars satellites. Besides João Nunes, the opposite Portuguese Team Pros, Nuno Coelho and Henrique Pinho could be in Figueira da Foz from 10th until 13th June to welcome the visitors, in addition to Team PokerStars Online André Coimbra.
Team PokerStars Pro Portugal: Henrique Pinho, João Nunes and Nuno Coelho
In the primary event of this up to date PokerStars circuit, held in Vilamoura last April, José Passos received €27.262 for the primary place after defeating a field of 146 players, including Team PokerStars SportStar Fátima Moreira de Melo.
Check out the Portugal Poker Series website for the whole schedule of this event and to understand the best way to qualify for the following tournaments.
Rich and Donnie recap the Monster WPT TOC, talk California legislation, check out the changes announced for the 2016 WSOP, and discuss the hole events of the EPT Grand Finale.
PokerNews Podcast Episode #370: Keeping it Hunned on the Monster WPT TOC
2016-04-22
Donnie and Rich are in Florida on the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the Monster WPT Tournament of Champions, and they're keeping it hunned.
PokerNews Podcast Episode #369: Black Friday Reflections
2016-04-14
On the eve of the fifth anniversary, Donnie and Rich think about Black Friday. In addition they talk Aaron Paul, WPT’s deal in India, and Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown festival.
Donnie was hobnobbing all week in Las Vegas at a convention, so he reports back along with his findings. He and Rich take heed to voicemails from the fans, and discuss the opposite hot topics of the week.
Remko Report Episode #36: Ari Engel
2016-04-07
Remko talks with 2016 Aussie Millions champion Ari Engel about his big win, his constant travels, and more.
12345…139»
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Ralph Topping, the CEO of sports betting operator William Hill, took on a second job as chairman of soccer's Scottish Premier League.
In a move that illustrates how nonsensical NFL arguments against gambling are, Ralph Topping, the CEO of bookmaker William Hill, was offered and accepted a concurrent post as chairman of the Scottish Premier League, the nation's top soccer organization. The top of the sports betting operator was named to the post with no worry expressed about potential lack of league match integrity.
The NFL has successfully denied US citizens the precise to play at sports gambling by insisting that permitting such, outside of Nevada, would irrevocably harm the general public perception of the football league and its games. Nevada is treated as a mystical land by NFL spokesmen, the invisible place which somehow operates without corrupting influence, while all other attempts to legalize sports betting are met with shudders.
Meanwhile, the realistic European attitude openly recognizes the symbiotic relationship between gambling and sports, one the NFL says doesn't exist while they supply daily injury updates to the players feeding hundreds of billions to illegal sports books. The eu sports leagues see no conflict in spite of the pinnacle of its top sports betting group also running a top soccer league.
"It is comforting to understand that, with the new appointment of Neil Doncaster as chief executive and the appointment today of Ralph Topping as chairman, the SPL might be in good hands," said outgoing chairman Lex Gould.
"I am very excited to be joining the SPL in a task that marries three of my greatest passions: business, Scotland and football," said Topping.
Eureka6 Rozvadov: Daniel Karacic leads Day 1A survivors
Season six of the Eureka Poker Tour kicked off today on the King's Casino in Rozvadov. A COMPLETE of 219 players publish €1,100 to play some poker and when the 10 levels were over 90 players had made it through to Day 2.
Daniel Karacic, chipped up within the Czech Republic
Topping the lot of them is Daniel Karacic. The Croat bagged up 194,400 and isn't any stranger to success on this casino. In September 2010 he scored his biggest career score to this point when he collected €15,000 for winning a €330 tournament.
He leads a chasing pack that contains: Harald Casagrande (155,000), Lazer Gjergji (151,800), Gaspare Leggio (147,700), Arturs Scerbaks (138,700), Jens Steuber (126,100) and Ivan Luca (124,800).
Luca went on a late run
The Argentinian high roller finished third within the €5,000 event that concluded here yesterday and showed up halfway during the day. He'd soon done half his stack, but a late night comeback, including a timely queens versus jacks coup, sees him in great shape for Day 2
Eiler enjoyed an even day
There were EPT, UKIPT, Eureka or even Who Desires to be a Millionaire champions within the field today and Michael Eiler - who won EPT7 Vienna - had an ideal day on the felt. He was always well placed and the 117,900 he bagged up means he'll be hopeful of a deep run.
Eureka Hamburg winner Tom Holke
Of course for some stacks to grow others must disappear. For the likes of Alex Kravchenko, Marius Pospiech, Jan-Peter Jachtmann, Josef Snejberg, Raphael Wimmer, Makarios Avramidis, Tom Holke and Daniel Stacey it was an afternoon to forget. They are not completely out of contention yet though as they'll be capable of enter Day 1C, a turbo Day 1 that starts at 10pm tomorrow and has 20 minute levels.
We'll be back before then though as Day 1B kicks off at 1pm CET. We'll see then you definately but you'll be able to compensate for today's coverage by clicking here. Whilst overnight chip counts can be found here.
There's a large tournament happening in South America too. Follow live updates from LAPT Chile here.
In a move that illustrates how nonsensical NFL arguments against gambling are, Ralph Topping, the CEO of bookmaker William Hill, was offered and accepted a concurrent post as chairman of the Scottish Premier League, the nation's top soccer organization. The top of the sports betting operator was named to the post with no worry expressed about potential lack of league match integrity.
