Check out this non-WSOP, Alpha8 battle on the beaches of St. Kitts as Michael “Timex” McDonald takes on German phenom Fabian Quoss head-to-head when both of them are holding, relatively, the same hand.

Ali Nejad and Olivier Busquet provide the play by play for the World Poker Tour.

The entire poker industry is talking about Canadian company Amaya Gaming putting together a package to purchase online behemoth PokerStars for $4.9 billion.

This is F5Poker, serious news is not really our bag, so we’re going to let our big brothers over at pokerfuse, get you all caught up about that might mean to you.

What we are interested in is how some of poker’s biggest personalities feel about the takeover, specifically the Team PokerStars pros like Daniel Negreanu and Vanessa Selbst because, as you know, with any change in management comes the potential for a shake-up in personnel.

PokerNews' Remko Rinkema tracked down a few pros to get some initial reaction to what may be the biggest business deal of it’s kind that the poker industry has ever seen.

With yesterday being Friday the 13th both PokerNews (video below) and the World Series of Poker (video above) simultaneously set out to find out if people were wigging out over the legendary “unlucky day.”

Just like how poker is a mix of luck and skill, some players rely on a little special something to give them their luckbox edge while others find no reason to think that everything is anything but coincidence.

Andrew Rennhack, winner of the Event #26, the $1500 No-Limit tourney, at the World Series of Poker talks with PokerNews' Caitlyn Howe about how he ran supernova ho as he bested the 1594 runners on his way to a massive $408,953 payday and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

Rennack, 2013’s Carnival of Poker's Player of the Year, quadrupled his recorded lifetime earnings by binking this tournament and according to him it’s finally the breakthrough he’s been hoping for.

Read: Andrew Rennhack Ups The Stakes With $1.5K NLHE Bracelet Victory

Poker media junkies rejoice – we’ve compiled even more of the best profiles and interviews from the floor of the Rio at the World Series of Poker. So, if you are a consumer of information and a waster of time (in the best sense possible) here are a few articles and interviews we think you’ll find something worthwhile in.

Enjoy.

ElkY Talks About Having Passport Stolen, Missing First Two Weeks At The World Series Of Poker

'ElkY’ Grospellier: No Passport, No Luggage, No Problem!

For a poker pro of ElkY’s status it must have been incredibly frustrating to have been stuck outside of the WSOP while waiting for a new passport after getting his nabbed in Canada. So much so that it might make you want to jump off a tall building. [Card Player & Cardschat]

From Starstruck to Star Attraction: Ryan Riess Back for Bracelet #2

With his name spelled correctly in the article, the self-proclaimed best in the world Ryan Riess talks about going from the guy wanting the autograph, to being the guy who is asked to give it. Check out more about the 2013 WSOP Champs star making turn. [Pokerlistings]

Marvin Rettenmaier – Chewing And Cutting The Fat

Mad Marvin was tired of looking chunky so he’s dropped a few lbs/kgs to get in better shape at the same time Rettenmaier addresses the issue of giving and taking action the big problem that’s out there where players are not paying each other back. [Calvin Ayre]

Matt Salsberg: On the WSOP Grind, New Poker Show in Development

Matt Salsberg's quick wit is getting back into show business with his new show that’s in development for Amazon. The “Weeds” mastermind is working on “Whales” and it’s supposed to be a realistic, but humorous, look at the life of a professional poker player. [Pokerlistings]

Jennifer Tilly Opens Up About Sam Simon’s Cancer Battle & Jennifer Tilly: 'I Want People to Remember Me as a Good Poker Player’

One of our favorites, Jennifer Tilly, has been extremely candid in her interviews this summer at the Rio. We know this from our own two part audio interview with her. But here she talks extensively about her poker game, her friendship with Simpson’s creator Sam Simon and hr role in the women’s poker scene. [Card Player & Pokerlistings]

Take some time and give these long form articles a little love.

This is what the World Series of Poker is all about.

In what is easily Caitlyn Howe's best video of the WSOP for PokerNews she tracks down amateur Chicago home game poker player Debbie Motycka who they find on a heater, accumulating chips and taking a stand against the pros at her table.

Sure, she’s a little nervous, but she’s not going to be bullied about by the young aggros taking aim at her. She paid her entrance fee, she’s shipped her chips and the cards fell in her favor.

While the soft spoken Bulls fan didn’t make it through the day, she has the glorious WSOP story of going deep in Event #26 and making almost $12K for her efforts.

(Which is more than this writer has ever made playing poker.)

PokerNews rookie Caitlyn Howe shuffles though a winner’s interview for Event #25 with 2-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, the UK’s John Kabbaj.

Seemingly a little stunned at what has happened, Kabbaj talks about the surreal feeling of being a was forced to wait 5 years before capturing a 2nd gold bracelet. Now that he has, he sees his lifetime totals skyrocket over $2.5 million and that’s a reason to celebrate – by getting drunk.

Wanna get caught up on the WSOP but don’t need every detail to do so? We got you. Here’s what you need to know in 300 words (or less).

—

Event #25, the $2500 the Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low, concluded yesterday as John Kabbaj denied Thomas Keller his lifetime 2nd bracelet as went on to win over $267K and his own 2nd WSOP bracelet. Erik Seidel (6th), Mike Leah (5th) and Tom Schneider (8th) also found their way to the final table but fell short.

They were supposed to award a bracelet in Event #24, the $5K 6-max, but the head-up match outlasted the will of the players and so Pierre Neuville and Kevin Eyster will come back today at 1PM PST to wrap this up. Andrew “Luckychewy” Lichtenberger (3rd), Bryn Kenney and Jeremy Kottler (5th) all had a seat at the final table.

Only 12 of 1594 remain in Event #26, the $1.5K NLHE. While Ryan Welch currently holds a massive chiplead, Team Ivey Pro Dan Smith is sitting in second while poker Monster Will “The Thrill” is hanging in there in 8th. These guys return at 1PM to play for the $408K+ and the bracelet.

The $1500 H.O.R.S.E., Event #27, wrapped up day 1 with only 160 players left. John Monnette and Dutch Boyd both have top 10 chip stacks, but the field is stacked with pros inclining Greg Raymer, Andy Bloch, Allen Kessler, Jimmy Fricke, Jonathan Duhamel and Phil Ivey. It’s a 1PM return.

The $10K PLO landed 160 runners and only 66 survived the day (metaphorically). With the championship events, it’s a guaranteed stacked field and John Juanda, Antonio Esfandiari, Chino Rheem and David “Devilfish” Ulliott all sit with top 10 chipstacks. The list of remaining players looks like a who’s who of poker superstars. Action resumes at 2PM.

Two more events kick off today – a $2500 NL (Event #29) and a $1500 Seven Card Hi-Low (Event #30)

—

You need more details? Big fan of reading? You got it…check these great links:

pokerfuse: Bracelet Number Two for Brit John Kabbaj

Bluff: Matusow Responds to Controversy; Dan Smith Pushing for First Bracelet

PokerNews: John Kabbaj Wins Event #25, Captures Second Career Bracelet

post by Cliff.

Yesterday we posted about Mike “The Mouth” Matusow's one round penalty for what was labelled as “outrageous behavior” by one of the tournament directors at the World Series of Poker during the the $2500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low event.

Read: Mike “The Mouth” Matusow – Bulldozered By WSOP Floor For “Outrageous Behavior”

Now, some of the biggest names in the game, including Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu have spoken out publicly on Matusow’s side.

“Kid Poker” took it a step further, sending a barrage of Tweets before taking to his own blog to address the issue.

Over at Full Contact Poker, Negreanu’s own poker forum, Daniel put all his thoughts down including how he feels that, for the good of the game, we need to allow emotion to be let back into poker.

To make a long story short, Mikey was all in and deep in a tournament. He needed help and was being himself, a loud, sometimes childish and obnoxious guy that most people who watch TV love to see, while others may not like his antics.

He goes on to talk about the discretion of TD’s in tournaments.

This is consistent with a major problem I have with quite a few of the TDA rules that go straight to a penalty without giving the players the benefit of the doubt, and the courtesy of a warning.

That needs to change. I don’t know how to make it change, but I needed to say something. We need to stop taking ourselves so seriously.

Poker is supposed to be fun guys, it’s not war. There is no need for a Nazi like enforcement of rules that don’t accomplish what they are designed to accomplish. If you are a tournament director, you would be wise to take a chill pill, keep it friendly, issue warnings followed by penalties when necessary, and do as little as possible to effect the outcome of tournaments that you haven’t risked a penny to play.

Read Daniel’s Full Statement over at Full Contact Poker

Daniel’s new pal Dutch Boyd also agrees…

More Phil: Phil Hellmuth – Return Of The Brat

More Daniel: Daniel Negreanu Lands On Fashion Police “Most Wanted” List

No one loves Phil Laak more than F5 so when there’s a Phil Laak video or photo, you know that we’re going to bring it to you.

Thus is the case with this latest be-goggled video where Sarah Grant from PokerNews, after many times of trying to track Laak down, finally gets our guy.

Grant, knowing she has but fleeting moments with Phil, decides to trick him into hanging out by playing a little game of “The Last Time I…” and letting him finish her sentences with stories of snowmobiling and fending off arrest.

So, is this video worth watching? It’s Phil Laak – of course it is!

So grab a donut a take in a few minutes with the best.

Listen In: We had a chance to talk with Laak too – and it’s fantastic.

Conversation With Phil Laak – Poker, X-Men, The Universe and The Zen of Wake Surfing

Chicago indie rock legend, founding member of Shellac and producer of Nirvana's “In Utero“ (and Cloud Nothings’ “Attack On Memory“) is also quite an accomplished poker player. He gets picked out from the crowd by Sarah Grant over at Pokernews for a quick run down of how his trip to the World Series of Poker is going and why he’s sitting in a H.O.R.S.E. tournament.

Of course, the topic turns to the music industry where Albini’s indie cred is still and will forever be in tact and Grant decides to bust out her singing chops for him to evaluate.

Good stuff.

Bonus: Albini’s home game crew also was featured on PokerNews

Now that the EPT 10 London Main Event has had it’s time to shine, the big boys take their seats in the 2014 PCA $100,000 Super High Roller.

Highlighted by both Daniel Negreanu and 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Ryan Riess, the well-produced highlight show features hole cards and commentary from James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton

Want more televised poker? PokerStars EPT 10 London Main Event – Episode 1

Whether we are self-employed, working for the big boss to get that elusive promotion, or trying to grind out a big pot at poker; arguably we are all entrepreneurs in our own right using similar rules of engagement to earn the fattest pay check we can by the end of the day.

It was no surprise when looking at the LinkedIn article titled '12 Entrepreneurial Lessons From Playing Poker’ where no fewer than 3 distinctive lessons instantly jumped out; all 3 ringing bells that can lead us down the road to success or failure in both life and at the poker tables.

1. Discipline

2. Logical Thinking

3. One mistake can erase many successes

Anyone can boast an array of successes in life, but as in poker, many of those around you have short memories. Nonetheless, one mistake through an irrational move can undo all your good work and leave your image in tatters.

However, having the discipline to consistently think logically about just how volatile you are in every situation that flies your way creates that fine line, which is the difference between success and failure.

Check out all 12 right here. Whether you are grinding out your days in a cubicle or on the felt, these are solid reminder of what you can do to take your game to the next level!

In an effort to make the people behind the screen names of PokerStars Team Online a little more recognizable, Team Online recruit Mikhail “innerpsy” Shalamov interviews a melody of his fellow members to do a little “get-to-know-you” video.

The questions, taken from voted on suggestions of Shalamov’s blog, get right to the point of what is on the general public’s mind. Fans want to know about the sex lives of these button clicking phenoms by seeing which is more important to them – poker or sex.

Let’s just say that Team Online loves to get busy.

Sarah Grant from PokerNews has checked the numbers and the numbers look good. They show that people love, love, love the Daily Deepstacks at the Rio and with every passing day more and more hopefuls pile into the Pavilion hoping to turn $235 into $50K in 16 hours time.

Watch as she talks with an absolutely smitten Sean Baldwin who seemingly loses himself just by standing next to Sarah. Sarah on the other hand, hilariously, can’t seem to even believe what Sean is saying – from shaking her head in disbelief to a classic take to the camera. The Deepstack events are that good.

Finally she catches up with poker media hero Anthony Charter who, on his day off, took down one of the $235’s for a massive payday.

Read: Grinder’s Paradise – PokerNews Reporter Binks Daily Deepstack at the WSOP

So if you are shot taker on a limited budget, make sure you check out these Deepstacks once you have busted out of your bracelet event.

Wanna get caught up on the WSOP but don’t need every detail to do so? We got you. Here’s what you need to know in 300 words (or less).

—
Former November Niner Matt Jarvis is stacked in Event #24, the $5K 6-max, with only 17 left. While he may be sitting pretty now, he’s got elite level competition coming for those chips in the form of Andrew Lichtenberger, Bryn Kenney, Jeremy Kottler, Griffin Benger, Amanda Musumeci and 2013 WSOP Main Event Champ Greg Merson. Today is the final day of play for these kids at, starting at 1PM, they’ll play until a winner is crowned.

Erik Seidel leads the remaining field of 18 in Event #25, the $2500 Omaha/Stud Hi-Low. There’s a bunch of notable names #bracelethunting in this one including Mike Leah, Joe Tehan, Tom Schneider and Matt Glantz. There’s over $267K up top and this field will return today at 2pm PST to play down to a bracelet winner.

Event #26, a $1500 NLHE, started with 1594 runners yesterday and after the Day 1 bloodbath only 178 remain. As one might expect, a ton of big names are still in contention here Dan Smith, Mike “Timex” McDonald and Scott Clements all sit with top 10 chipstacks. Brandon Cantu, Will Failla and *Phil “The Poker Brat” Hellmuth” are all healthy with top 40 chips.

Two bracelets will be given out today and two new events will get their start. Event #27, the $1500 H.O.R.S.E. and Event #28, the $10K PLO Championship will both get a new batch of WSOP hopefuls in their seats.

—

Oh, what?! That’s not ENOUGH for you? You’re a true consumer? Check these out:

pokerfuse: Seidel Leads Split Event, Hellmuth Deep in No Limit Hold’em Event

PokerNews: 2014 World Series of Poker Day 16: Erik Seidel Leads Final of Omaha/Stud; Matt Jarvis Ahead in Six-Max

post by Cliff.

Where Mike “The Mouth” Matusow goes, drama will often follow. That’s exactly what happened last night at the World Series of Poker when Matusow, who was grinding in Event #25, the $2500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low, busted out in 19th place shortly after suffering a one round penalty on a massive hand where he was cited for excessive celebration.

PokerNews caught the action of the hand where Matusow was, clearly, getting pretty hyped up.

Matusow said, “If I win this pot, everybody will be playing for second.”

As the hand played out Matusow’s excitement began to rise to the surface…

“Come on, I deserve this,” yelled Matusow, almost losing his voice. The dealer delivered seventh and Matusow started cheering loudly, running away from the tournament area and everybody in the rather silent Amazon room could hear him. Matusow pounded the table in celebration as he continued to laud the hand. He raked in the massive pot with the straight and low and was then given a one round penalty for his “outrageous behavior.”

After the pot was shipped his way Matusow stewed through the penalty and eventually returned to play, he went busto a mere 5 players later.

But, it wasn’t just Matusow that thought this ruling wasn’t kosher. Other pros and grinders sided with Mike on this one and decided to voice their frustrations. World Series of Poker bracelet winner Owais Ahmed fired off a few public shots…

...as did World Poker Tour Champion Joe Tehan...

...and Thomas “Thunder” Keller.

In the end Mike had to settle for his $7,784 payday and move on.

But before he went he received a tip of the hat from Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. For whatever that’s worth.

More Mikey: Nic Cage In Talks To Play Mike “The Mouth” Matusow In Biopic

Poker and online sports betting website Bet365.com recently released its betting odds for the 2014 World Series of Poker, and one name is a notable favorite over much of the competition: Jamie Gold.

The 2006 WSOP Main Event champion pays 400 to 1 in the event of a repeat. That puts him well ahead of big names such as Phil Galfond (500/1), Vanessa Selbst (500/1), Annette Obrestad (500/1), Phil Laak (500/1), Scott Seiver (750/1), Justin Bonomo (1000/1), and Shannon Shorr (1000/1).

It also puts the former world champion on par with Barry Greenstein and Robert Mizrachi, who are also listed with 400 to 1 odds for the speculative prop bet.

The odds may come as a shock to fellow competitors in spite of Gold’s Top 10 position on the all-time poker tournament money list. Aside from his $12,000,000 payday in July 2006, he has earned slightly under a quarter of a million dollars in live tournaments according to The Hendon Mob.

A total of 18 players are considered to have a better chance of capturing the 2014 WSOP Main Event bracelet, according to the Bet365 oddsmakers. These include Phil Ivey (150/1), Danieal Negreanu (175/1), Phil Hellmuth (200/1), Jason Mercier (250/1), and Tom Dwan (350/1).

Bet365 is also placing Jamie Gold among the favorites to make the WSOP Main Event final table (35/1).

Gold outlasted more than 8,770 players to capture the WSOP Main Event bracelet eight years ago. Do you agree with Bet365 that he is an odd-on favorite to repeat?

Who doesn’t like a little trivia? This time the questions for the latest edition of “Stump The Kevmath” focus on olden times as the Seniors invade the halls of the Rio.

Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier and newly crowned $1K Turbo Champion Doug Polk test their wits against the half-human, half-poker robot that is Kevin Mathers.

In the last episode, Kevin took a beating, but will he drop two in a row?

Poker Night In America is headed back to the Maryland Live! Casino this July for another mid-stakes tournament and high-stakes televised cash game, where a lucky (currently) unknown or two will have the opportunity to play against the pros for a future episode of the as-of-yet seen TV show.

You need two things to even be considered:

1. You gotta be interesting. You can’t be some 20something internet grinder who wants to sit in silence and ignore the table. They want personality. They want pizazz. They want to know that when people watch you they are going to either love or hate you – not feel meh. You get it, right? It’s part poker and part entertainment. So you need to be this and…

2. You gotta have $20K. Just because you’re cast doesn’t mean a total freeroll. Sure, the producers are likely to buy you a buffet and give you a place to rest your head, but they ain’t bankrolling you no matter how charming you are.

So if you have BOTH of these and the guts to get in the cage hit up Nolan Dalla and tell him why you are a good fit. Tell him F5 sent you:

Contact Nolan right here.

The Unibomber trades in his trademark attire for a less revealing look.

Listen In: Conversation With Phil Laak – Poker, X-Men, The Universe and The Zen of Wake Surfing

Molly Bloom, aka “The Poker Princess”, has a tell-all book about the Hollywood Home Games coming out and if the early excerpts are any indication, one guy who will not be happy with what is written is actor Tobey Maguire

Tobey, a rumored shark in the high-stakes home games of the big screen elite, apparently didn’t do very much to endear himself to Bloom, who organized the games.

According to the New York Post which released portions of Bloom’s forthcoming book, she has all sorts of stories about the former “Spider-Man.”

Former “Spider-Man” actor Tobey Maguire — a regular winner in high-stakes poker games — “was the worst tipper, the best player, and the absolute worst loser,” according to Molly Bloom, who organized illegal games for Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Affleck.

Bloom, who was rumored to cash in up to $50K a night was sometimes targeted by Tobey for “making too much money.”

The “Seabiscuit” star humiliated her in front of the other players, ordering her to “bark like a seal who wants a fish” for a $1,000 chip.

She tried to laugh it off, but Maguire persisted, “I’m not kidding. What’s wrong? You’re too rich now? You won’t bark for a thousand dollars?”

She also talks about how Tobey insisted that the game have a Shufflemaster in play. You know, the automatic shuffler you see at casinos from time to time. Those are expensive too, $17K to own.

Bloom also tells how Maguire refused to play poker without his Shuffle Master, a $17,000 device “that is supposed to deliver a fair, random shuffle every time and increase the speed of each game.”

Read: Tobey Maguire – Hollywood Home Game Hero or Villain?

One day, when Bloom was delivering a check for his winnings, Maguire suggested that she pay him to rent the machine for future games.

“He couldn’t possibly be serious about charging rent for a machine he insisted that we use, from the guys whose money he was taking every week. But he was as serious as death.” Maguire wanted $200 a night for his Shuffle Master.

UPDATE: Our post came out before Vanity Fair released this one so…for even more on the Molly Bloom excerpt you can check out Inside the Viper Room: Hollywood’s Most Exclusive Poker Game

For more about Tobey, Bloom and the Hollywood Home Games check out the full article over at Page Six.

With the “home confinement” portion of his sentence behind him from his arrest in association with the illegal New York Russian organized crime gambling syndicate, Justin Smith (aka BoostedJ) is enjoying his freedom back at the tables in Las Vegas.

Struggling movie producer trying my luck at this friendly poker game so I can buy some good art. #imnot@danbilzerian

He snapped this photo last night of no less than $400K worth of cashable Aria chips.

More BoostedJ: Justin “Boosted J” Smith Hopes To Hire Some Help

Smith, who is going to be on probation for the better parts of two years, sure looks like he’s on good behavior.

One of Ultimate Poker's biggest assets right now isn’t it’s software or customer service, it’s their team of pros who are bringing awareness to their brand of legalized online poker in the states of Nevada and New Jersey. And while Antonio Esfandiari may be the biggest name on their roster, it’s bracelet winner Jason Somerville that the hardcore grinders are drawn to.

Through is weekly internet show, #RunItUp, Somerville brings a new form of poker training to the masses: one that educates as well as entertains. Somerville started the program as a way to create value for his new position as Team U pro, but it’s grown farther and faster than he could have expected creating a legion of #RunItUp Warriors who watch, grind and learn from their leader who is looking to show them that it’s possible to turn a $50 deposit into $10K on Ultimate Poker.

Jason is seemingly everywhere this summer as well. He’s co-hosting the PokerNews podcast, providing his own online content, doing interviews for Bluff and grinding a ton of tournaments (cashing in two WSOP events so far).

He’s also on the cover of Bluff Magazine for his longform interview detailing his early years in poker, right through to his present position as one of poker’s most agreeable up-and-coming ambassadors.

Read: Jason Somerville … Running it up

“All I Do is win win win no matter what/
got money on mind I can never get enough”

Dominik Nitsche continues to ride a career-long heater as he captured his 3rd WSOP victory in two year helping him best Phil Ivey’s old record (by roughly 3 years) of being the youngest player ever to win 3 bracelets. Watch as Nitsche sits with PokerNews's Remko Rinkema to talk about his journey through the crowed $1K NLHE field.

Read over at PokerNews: Rapid Reaction: Dominik Nitsche Shatters Phil Ivey’s WSOP Bracelet Record

“Amazing, this is great – that’s it.”

You may be seeing more of new WSOP bracelet owner and $10K H.O.R.S.E. champion Christopher Wallace now that he finally has a healthy bankroll due to his over half a million dollar score last night at the World Series of Poker.

A one-time Hold’em player, Wallace talks to PokerNews' Remko Rinkema about how he turned to H.O.R.S.E and the mixed games due to his poker A.D.D. Now, a specialist of multiple diciplines , Wallace finds himself sitting in elite company having won one of the most prestigious events on the 2014 WSOP calendar.

Read Wallace from Andrew Feldman at ESPN & Bluff Magazine: Wallace wins HORSE championship and Chris Wallace Wins $10K HORSE Championship

If there’s one guy who looks like he’s having a good time at the World Series of Poker it’s Doug Polk. The high-stakes online grinder, who goes by the name “WCGRider”, won his first gold bracelet in the $1K Turbo event yesterday, not only taking home over $250K but declaring victory in an unspecified 5:1 bracelet bet.

Now with the monkey off his back, Polk tells Sarah Grant from PokerNews that he still plans on playing a number of events – including the One Drop! – but implementing a more relaxed schedule as it’s clear this is a guy who like to take it easy.

Bonus: Watch this. Just before Polk jumped into the Turbo $1K, which he won, he talked with Bluff Magazine about the pressure of winning a bracelet and how he’s not thrilled, but he’s gotta put his time in on these smaller tournaments. It’s pretty cool to see the “before and after” videos.

More Polk: High-Stakes Pro Polk Wins Turbo Event

Watch More: Doug “WCGRider” Polk Finds Macau Is “Not His Speed”

The World Poker Tour and Global Poker Index hopped in the sack this week as they announced that in 2015, 10 elite players will be automatically granted the status of bounties at the WPT Shooting Stars tournament in San Jose, CA.

The top 5 on the GPI 300 and the top 5 on the GPI Player of the Year leaderboard will be dubbed “signature” Shooting Stars and be given the VIP treatment to show up in Silicon Valley and have a room full of people gunning for them.

As if being a super successful poker pro weren’t cool enough, these 10 players will get private jet plane riders, appearance fees and exclusive VIP treatment that the other 40+ Shooting Stars will sit around and be envious of.

Tournament Director Matt Savage found the alliance to be a no-brainer:

“GPI’s top ranked players are the game’s biggest stars. Enticing them to come and play this event is a great way to help grow it’s reputation as a can’t-miss global tournament stop. At its core Poker is about recognition and achievement, and letting the best players in the world enjoy the fruits of their successful poker journeys with exclusive perks is important. Not just to get them in the door, but as a way to celebrate what they’ve achieved and motivate legions of other players to strive for that same level of success too.”

Bay 101’s Shooting Star is, by far, one of the most unique stops on the WPT schedule with up to 50 poker superstars carrying a bounty on their heads, which get paid out in cold hard cash on the spot, to whoever busts them. Also cash bonuses are given to Day 1a and Day 1b chip leaders. The most understated part about the tour is the unparalleled fan base that come out and treat these players like superstars.

Alex Dreyfus, head honcho of the GPI also tossed his two cents in:

“I’m excited to give more and more benefits to the players that reach the Top of the GPI rankings, both in our GPI 300 leaderboards as well as our Player of the Year points race. Our mission is to help poker to become more structured, bring more recognition to players based on performance, results, and consistency. Partnering with Bay 101 for their WPT Shooting Stars stop is a great next step in this direction. We’re excited, and this initiative will be followed by more announcements soon”

This announcement comes on the heels of the Global Poker Index’s announcement about the 2015 Global Poker Masters tournament.

Good news for both PokerNews and their viewers, Remko Rinkema has arrived at the World Series of Poker to save the PNews video team.

First order of business, give the people what they want and what they want is more Phil Ivey. So Remko has set out to dig up dirt on the superstar and has been asking some of the old school pros to recall their favorite stories about The People’s Champ. He found some good fodder here with Ivey’s good pal Richard Sklar.

Massive golf bets, online cross-booking and final table last longer bets are par for the course when Ivey and Sklar put their money where their mouths are. Watch a very entertaining storytelling session about poker’s mystery man.

Bonus: Not_quite_ as solid is Abe Mosseri's Ivey Story. But since you have time to kill, you should check it out.

Wanna get caught up on the WSOP but don’t need every detail to do so? We got you. Here’s what you need to know in 300 words (or less).

—

Nosebleed online grinder Doug “WCGRider” Polk notched his 2nd largest live victory ever in the $1K NL Turbo (Event #23) as he pocketed just under $252K and his first gold bracelet. The final table which played down pretty fast, included 2013 One Drop High Roller Champion Tony Gregg, who finished in 6th.

German phenom Dominik Nitsche continues to prove what a superstar he is as he joins Vanessa Selbst, Brock Parker and Davidi Kitai as top tier pros that have captured their 3rd career WSOP bracelet this summer. Nitsche, bested a field of 2043 in the $1K NL (Event #21) to grab the hardware and another 6-figure score ($335,659). Notable names Dave D’Alesandro (2nd), former November Niner Bob Bounahra (3rd), Thayer Rasmussen (5th) and Jeff Gross (6th) all had a seat at this stacked final table.

The $10K H.O.R.S.E. (Event #22) also came to a halt as Christopher Wallace wrapped it up and takes home over $507K for his B.I.G.-time victory (his career defining victory to date). Rising star Calvin Anderson (8th) joined Mathematics of Poker author Bill Chen (7th), the Italian Pirate Max Pescatori (5th) and Richard Ashby (4th) on the featured final table.

The $5K NL 6-max (Event #24) found 541 people willing to pony up the cash to play and at the end of Day 1 Dani “Ansky” Stern, Calvin Andersen, Kevin Saul, Freddy Deeb and 2012 WSOP Champ Greg Merson all sit with top 10 chip stacks.

This crew returns at 1pm PST to keep grinding.

Finally 470 players opted for the $2500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 of Better (Event #25). Team Ivey Pro Mike Leah, John D’Agostino and Tom “Donkeybomber” Schneider are robusto in this one.

These guys come back at 2pm.

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Oh, NOW you want more? OK, no problem.

pokerfuse: Doug Polk Takes the WSOP $1k Turbo Bracelet, Nitsche Wins His Third

Bluff Magazine: Calvin Anderson Double Dips While Three Bracelets are Awarded

post by Cliff.

With the 2014 World Series of Poker over a third of the way finished, if Phil Ivey plans on adding any more bracelets to his jewelry cleaning bill he’d better spend less time shining his past achievements and more time dusting others on the felt.

With over 25 events either in the books or underway, Ivey – who is partnered with Daniel Negreanu in a rumored $300K 1:1 bracelet bet – has just a single cash in Event #12 for just over $5K.

Still, this is a pretty cool photo and even though there’s two of Ivey’s nine gold bracelets missing from this photo, it sure looks like there’s room for #10. If and when Ivey books that bracelet it would make him only the 4th person in WSOP history to be the owner of bracelets in the double digits – right behind Hellmuth, Chan and Brunson.

Professional best friend and poker pro, Jeff Gross, talks to PokerNews about what it’s like to flop the nuts and turn a royal while raking in chips in the process. If things had worked out optimally it would have been his 2nd royal flush of the World Series of Poker!

Classic Jeff Gross: Jeff Gross Busts Out Before The Alpha8 Begins

“Dangerous” Dwyte Pilgrim lets loose in this session with Bluff Magazine's Thomas Keeling as he talks about how he, perhaps, has played more poker than anyone in the world in the past year. Cash games, tournaments, 10 hours a day – Dwyte goes hard to make it happen.

Sure, Dwyte’s already a sicko, but he’s been working so hard on his game he’s planning on taking poker to a whole. new. dimension.

Also, if the poker thugs think they are going to get a piece of The Pilgrim, they’ve got another thing coming. Dwyte’s a guy who is simply hard to get at because this young king is always aware of his surroundings.

Great stuff all around.

There’s some cool chip tricks out there, but this may be one of the sickest we’ve seen.

More Chip Tricks: Hands Down — Check Out These Pro Level Chip Tricks

(h/t to 3Bet Poker Clothing)

Wanna get caught up on the WSOP but don’t need every detail to do so? We got you. Here’s what you need to know in 300 words (or less).

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Amateur player Ted Gillis beat John “Johnny World” Hennigan to take down Event#19, the $1500 NL 6-max event for $514K and his first gold bracelet while in Event #20, the $3K Shootout, Kory Kilpatrick bested Phil Galfond, Chris Bell and Eric Wasserson to beat the table for his $254K payday and first bracelet.

Only 16 are left in Event #21, the $1K NL, and former November Niner Bob Bounahra (remember him..or his daughter ?!) is in the chiplead with Thayer Rasmussen on his ass as well as Dominik Nitsche, Ultimate Poker’s Jeff Gross and Team PokerStars Online Pro Mickey Petersen still alive in the field. These guys return at 1pm PST and will play to a winner.

In the $10K H.O.R.S.E., Event #22, 200 runners are whittled down to just 21 and Tommy Hang enters the final day of play with the most chips. The list of who’s left is literally littered with pros but take note of Daniel Negreanu (16th), Nick Schulman (12th) and Justin Bonomo (6th) who are all desperate to bracelet again. This event will also crown a champion today as players hit the felt at 2pm.

Event #23 is the $1K Turbo and they got to the final table fast as a bloodbath of 1,473 runners was whittled down to just 9. Doug “WCGRider” Polk leads the way but tournament badass Tony Gregg is hanging around sitting 6th in chips. A gold bracelet and $250K+ will be given out when these guys return at 1PM to play to a winner.

Live streaming for the WSOP went down last night but it’s expected to be up and running for both of these events.

New events kick off today including Event #24 the $5K 6-max and Event #25 the $2500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better.

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Now, if you are intrigued and want more in-depth coverage check these great links:

pokerfuse: More WSOP Dreams Come True as Bracelets go to First Time Winners

PokerNews: 2014 World Series of Poker Day 14: Ted Gillis and Kory Kilpatrick Win Gold

post by Cliff.

Every tournament has one – the bubble boy (or girl as the case may be). In the prestigious World Series of Poker $10K H.O.R.S.E. tournament (Event #22) it was poker rapper Jeff Madsen that claimed the dubious honor.

This came as a bit of a shock to many (as well as Madsen himself) as at the start of the day, Madsen was, in fact, the chip leader.

Foul language after the jump

Chip leader 130k in the 10k HORSE day 2 starts in 15 minutes ..

Jeff even commented that he “had a feeling” about the tournament. Unfortunately, that feeling would be overwhelming anger and despair when the former chipleader would lose it all over the course of the day and be the last person left in the field not to get paid.

Denial turned to anger…

Anger turned into more anger…

and then…

then it became…

and finally, acceptance.

Isn’t poker fun?

East coast New York pro Nicholas Palma is looking to step up his game. He’s at the World Series of Poker and he’s expecting a lot of himself – including a few final table and maybe even a bracelet.

His upbeat, positive attitude is serving him well and he feels like his success on the WSOP Circuit will translate into a solid summer. With two cashes already, Palma’s creedo seems to already be paying off.

Team PokerStars Pro David Williams hops on stage to talk with Bluff Magazine about the fact that, while he’s in a great space mentally – thanks to Choice Center – he’s not really having much success at the 2014 World Series of Poker.

Not being results-oriented, Williams is trying to keep his eyes on the prize and find a way to stay positive. It seems though that he’s got that silver-lining down pat thanks to his completed leadership course at the controversial poker fad known as Choice Center.

Watch: Brian Rast – Tearing People Down, Lack Of Food All Part Of Choice Center Process

Watch: [n:daniel-negreanu-ate-tons-while-attending-choice-center-negreanu-addresses-rasts-recent-comments:Daniel Negreanu – “Ate Tons” While Attending Choice Center

David talks about how he found the LGAT institution, endorsed by Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari, and how it’s the best thing he’s ever done. He’s down with Choice 100% and that comes form seeing other graduated students like Bill “The Businessman” Perkins and Jeff Gross be so much happier after their time there.

Clearly it’s working for Williams who, as he says, is 0-14 at the Series and he seemingly is just fine with that.

Bonus: Speaking of Daniel, he stopped by the Global Poker Index booth to talk with PokerNews’ Chad Holloway and GPI’s Eric Danis

PokerNews corners the well-liked, truck horn blowing Dennis Philips after his 5th place bustout from the 2014 World Series of Poker Seniors Event. The finish is quite an achievement as it’s the 2nd time in 3 years that he’s final tabled the massive event. In 2012 he finished runner-up to Allyn Jaffrey Shulman for a nice pickup of roughly $372K.

This year, with a record field in place, Philips scored over $150K for his deep run. While he’ll tell you that he knows he played well – he’s not happy because it didn’t result in a win.

It was just last month that Phil Hellmuth sat down in front of the PokerStars camera to declare that he’s a wiser, more mature poker player who had, essentially left “The Brat” persona behind.

You see, he’s positive. In a real good head space even. So as he joined the table of former World Series of Poker Champion Jonathan Duhamel (and snappy dresser Matt Salsberg) one would expect some good-spirited competition.

The “Boucherville Baller” in this case is Duhamel and from the ensuing reports we’re guessing that it didn’t work out too well for Hellmuth.

PokerNews caught the end of Hellmuth’s run which, according to the live reporting, had Hellmuth sitting with a ton of chips before he got involved with Duhamel.

“I had 200,000 and now I’m out,” said Phil Hellmuth to Greg Mueller.

“I never lost a pot on tilt, though. Duhamel just kept beating me,” added Hellmuth.

First his stack and then his temper, or the other way around. Either way, Duhamel, for his part, seemed to take it all in stride…

Hellmuth gunna Hellmuth, indeed.

More Hellmuth: Hellmuth, Negreanu, Boeree and Others Sell Personal Poker Experiences

Loni Harwood was one of the superstars of the 2013 World Series of Poker and she’s back in 2014 looking to play more tournaments at bigger stakes so she can bring just desserts for those that have believed in her by giving her cash to gamble with.

She opens up to one of the best – video producer Thomas Keeling over at Bluff Magazine in this short update.

Past Loni Drama: Loni Harwood “Borrowing” Online Accounts?

WSOP Media Director and unofficial historian of poker, Nolan Dalla, conducts a proper style interview with former $50K Poker Players Champion David “The Gunslinger” Bach.

Bach is one of these guys you always see deep in the big buy-in mixed game tournaments but don’t know that much about – and Dalla’s here to change all that.

Bach, a seasoned veteran of the Series, loves poker and loves to travel with his cats. He finds Razz to be a more beautiful game than most and even reveals how he took on his bad-ass nickname of “The Gunslinger.”

Perhaps one of the more interesting tidbits of note is how Bach recalls that he was one of the first people to qualify for a Main Event seat from PokerStars and he did that in 2003 – the same year Chris Moneymaker did. If the cards had fallen different would we have had a 'Gunslinger Effect’?

Probably not. The dude’s name is Moneymaker.

So press play and get to know a little more about this very likable mixed game specialist.

Two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and former member of the November Nine, JC Tran is not a young kid anymore. Gone are the days of “easy-come, easy-go” bankrolls and putting people into tournaments. Tran is a family guy now and when he spikes a score, it’s for the betterment of his wife and kids.

Here he talks with Bluff Magazine about how he no longer plays for himself but he plays for his family. Also, if you think just because Tran’s been hitting it big on the felt lately that he’ll put you in a tournament, you’ve got another thing coming. He’s not currently helping those who can’t help themselves.

More JC Tran: JC Tran Wins WPT Thunder Valley, Becomes Two Time Champion

PokerNews extends their WSOP survival guide video series for those of you who are hitting the halls of the Rio for the first time this summer.

One of those experiencing a trial by fire at the WSOP is PokerNews’ poker noob, Caitlyn Howe. In her latest effort she efforts to bring you words of wisdom from the likes of Jason Mercier, Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger and Calvin Anderson.

Cliff notes: Don’t go too hard, show up early to avoid the lines and make sure your taxi driver clearly understands where you are going.

One of the best parts, from a poker media junkie point of view, about the World Series of Poker is that all the biggest names in the game are under one roof and most are willing to take a little time to answer some questions for the fans.

Over the course of the first part of the 2014 WSOP there have been some great profiles of poker pros – some you know and other who are new to the scene. So, we’ve decided to compile a list here (as everyone love a good list) of some longer articles and interviews you should check out before you actually decided to do any work today.

Melanie Weisner – Acting And Musical Theater

Our vote to play Melisandre the Priestess in Game of Thrones actually has a background in acting it turns out and Lee Davy sits down to explore how Melanie has diversified out of poker and into her other passions. [Calvin Ayre]

Barry Greenstein’s Humiliating Main Event Cash

You know the Bear, you love the Bear. Now check out the story of his very first World Series of Poker Main Event – back in the days when a min-cash was winning less money than the original $10K buy-in. Good stuff from PokerNews’ Jonathan Zaun. [PokerNews]

Calvin Anderson Is On Everyone’s Fantasy Poker Draft List

Calvin Anderson may not be the most well known of the pros playing in the biggest tournaments of the summer, but the 2014 SCOOP Player of the Series is certainly among the most well-respected. An online mixed-game player, Anderson looks to make some money for those smart enough to have picked him up in their fantasy drafts. [Card Player]

Scott Seiver – I Will Be Playing The One Drop

One of the best tournament players in the world, Scott Seiver is not only planning on playing the massive One Drop $1M buy-in tournament but he plans on winning…and in the process giving back to those in need. [CalvinAyre]

WSOP Bracelet Hunters: Mukul Pahuja

The World Poker Tour superstar is still looking to make a splash at the WSOP. The 28-year old New York native, Mukul Pahuja talks about taking a big risk in investing in his future as a poker player. [Pokerlisting]

Mike Matusow Reminisces About Stu Ungar, Losing Heads-Up to Scotty Nguyen

Everyone has been talking about the possibility of a Mike “The Mouth” Matusow biopic. No doubt a little of what happened in his very first World Series of Poker would be a great scene in that flick. Read about how “The Mouth” almost nabbed a bracelet from right out of the gate. [PokerNews]

Did we miss one? If so let us know and we’ll add it for the readers. Enjoy!

It’s totally understandable…not everyone can make their way to Las Vegas in the middle of the summer. Good news for all the East Coast grinders out there is that you don’t have to hit the Rio in order to participate in a big-time, big-money poker series because the Borgata Summer Poker Open is back.

Starting tomorrow, June 10, and running all the way until June 27 the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and BorgataPoker.com hosts the Summer Open with 19 events and a $2,000 + $200 Main Event that carries a $500K guarantee. With a wide array of buy-in levels and even a Limit and Omaha event on the schedule, there’s something for everyone who is going to be sticking close to home this summer.

Read: 2014 Borgata Summer Open Schedule of Events

Even better – you can win seats online. Yep, all you lucky New Jersey residents. BorgataPoker.com, the online arm of the Borgata, has a bunch of seats up for grabs in their Summer Poker Open satellites. At least 16 in total.

So, whether you are a live or online grinder – jump in the pool of players who will be spending part of their summer at the Borgata in the Summer Poker Open.

There’s been some “chit-chat” about a few security leaks this year at the 2014 World Series of Poker. From in-room thefts to thuggery in the parking lots, there seems to be some crew targeting the “defenseless kids” who carry a lot of cash. But don’t fear – Ronnie Bardah is here.

Ronnie Bardah is hard as hell and will walk you to your car if you ask him to.

Check out this PokerNews video of Ronnie dropping knowledge on how to protect yourself from the crew that may be targeting you. All common sense stuff in here, but, in all seriousness, a good reminder that where there’s a lot of money there’s going to be some shady people looking to get some of it through unethical means.

Bouns: Bluff Magazine talks with World Poker Tour Champion and WSOP bracelet winner Andy Frankenberger about the parking lot muggings.

A scary scene took place at the Rio earlier today as PokerNews, among others, reported that poker player and acclaimed actor James Woods required medical attention while attending the World Series of Poker.

We received reports that that Woods collapsed and PokerNews reported a witness claiming that Woods required oxygen “as he pointed to his chest.”

A short time later though Woods took to Twitter to reassure his fans that things were looking up.

Watch More Woods: Poker, Pistols and The Donkey Pair of Fours and Just Your “Average Amateur Player” At The WSOP

In related news, James Woods, has been doing a lot of media while at the WSOP and outside of the great videos he shot for PokerNews and Bluff (which we have linked to above) he also sat down with Pokerlistings to talk about all things poker, celebrity and even a couple notes on how to have better luck with the ladies. A great read with some fantastic quotes from Woods, so while we’re all wishing him a speedy recovery and a quick return to the felt, check out the following article.

Read: James Woods: How to Fix America and Pick Up Women

Here’s another very worthwhile article from Barry Carter over at PokerStrategy about how to take your game to the next level. Now, while he works for Pokerstrategy and he’s going to be pushing their strategy forums, the basic angle of the article is that while you can read book and watch videos – talking poker with those in the know is the best and fastest way to get better at the game.

The tippy top of the highest level pros never talk about watching videos or the best new book, once they have consumed that stuff, it’s going over hands with poker minds that can help them see their plays from a different angle that shows them the light.

Something always bothered me, however, with many of the top players. I noticed that when a lot of them had 'made it’ they seemed to talk less about learning using the traditional methods like videos, books, doing equity calculations etc. I always wondered if they had gotten cocky and dismissive about their learning?

I now realise that what tended to happen is that once they reached the EPT levels of success, these more academic forms of learning would become replaced by more high level discussion.

So check out this write-up from Carter who brings it back to the fact that if you want to get better at playing poker, surround yourself with people who play at a high level and talk it up! Jump in a social setting or poker forums like Pokerstrategy, Two Plus Two, Cardschat, FlopTurnRiver or PocketFives to find out if you played the hand wrong or just got unlucky.

Check it out: The huge impact your friends have on your poker success

Sometimes when one is running bad they say things they don’t mean. Wall street wizard turned professional amateur poker pro Dan Shak has not had a good start to his action-packed World Series of Poker and in this video interview with Thomas Keeling from Bluff Magazine he states that after this year, we’ll be seeing less of him.

Shak, a major advocate of the game, says that he’s got some other priorities in life now that he’s getting on in age (aren’t we all though) and that means the he’s unlikely to make it out to Vegas for all the events like he has in the past. Don’t worry, the high-rolling beast is not quitting, just being more selective. Guess we’ll have to wait until next year to see if he really means it, or it’s the downswing talking.

Shak Attack: Dan Shak – Taking Fans Out Of The Game “Bad For Poker”

When Sarah Grant approached 2-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, and World Poker Tour “One To Watch”, Athanasios Polychronopoulos for a quick interview to talk about surviving large field WSOP events, there’s a good bet she hoped for a little more than this video.

APoly seems happy to be on camera but not really forthcoming with any real info for the viewer. Answers to Grant’s questions come in the forms of:

“Feel good”
“Don’t play too poorly”
“Run good”
“Maybe win”

Grant, ever the professional, doubles down and tries asking again, using different wording. APoly sees her tactic and adjusts accordingly with:

“Don’t bust”
“Don’t play too many bad hands”
“Try to win some pots”

While all of this advice is spot on accurate – you cannot win if you bust – these are not just basic strategies, they are practically rules of the game. It is not likely to be the secret formula for taking down a field in the thousands….Or is it?

Someone forgot to double-triple check the spelling of the 2013 Main Event Champions name before having a massive banner unveiled in the halls of the Brazilia room today…that’s right, they spelled “Riess” wrong.

#RyanRiess talks to a table of players as his banner is unveiled. I wonder if they are talking poker or spelling. #namespelledwrong #wsop

For what it’s worth, we’ve must have done the same time at some point as well. No doubt the WSOP will make good…at some point.

World Poker Tour Champion, the controversial Chino Rheem, spoke to Cardplayer Magazine this week to clear up some misconceptions about his missing the $15,000 2014 World Poker Tour Championship.

Maybe you remember, F5Poker first reported that Rheem, the defending 2013 champion, skipped the $5M guaranteed tournamen, held last month at the Borgata. The problem being, for him, is that it was a total freeroll that – it sure looked like to everyone- he totally just forgot about.

Read: Chino Rheem Misses Free Seat In $5M Dollar WPT Championship

Well Rheem is speaking out, saying that he knew about the freeroll all along and that he decided to attend the self-help fad Choice Center, rather than take the trip to NJ.

I certainly didn’t forget about it. I had my own things going on in my life that I decided to skip that tournament for. That’s basically it. Obviously, if I am going to skip a freeroll in the WPT Championship people need to know that I am working on myself and trying to make my life better. If anyone can’t understand it, they can go f—k themselves…If people must know, I skipped it to do the Choice Center.

That’s all he has to say about that. There’s more to the interview though, so if you want to check out all the lead-in questions, go read the full text over at Cardplayer.

PokerNews's Sarah Grant bullies her way into a conversation with mixed game specialist Aaron Steury to talk about his 2-7 game as well as the “super gangster” underground poker games of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Steury, looking a little uncomfortable, peels back the curtain a little on how the seedy games used to run in Fort Wayne. In fact, former PokerNews presenter Kristy Arnett used to deal from time to time according to Aaron, but recently the covert games have withdrawn with the rise of charity casinos.

Want More Underground Poker: Atlanta — The Hidden Jewel of Underground Poker

This time it’s PokerNews' turn to sit down with critically acclaimed actor turned poker player James Woods for a conversation about his card playing career. From his early days where he used to play to win breakfast money to playing poker with a pistol in his pocket, Woods entertains as he recalls how he came up in the world of poker.

Into The Woods: James Woods – Just Your “Average Amateur Player” At The WSOP

The PokerNews video team hit the halls of the Rio at the WSOP to ask some of the players about who they think should play the over-the-top personality of Mike “The Mouth” Matusow in the movie version of his book “Check-Raising The Devil”

The answers came back like a hand making a large river bet: polarized. From Kevin Smith to Matt Damon, the pros – including Jason Somerville, Daniel Negreanu, Jason Mercier and more – rack their brains to try and match an actor with the real life Mike.

Who do you think should play Mikey in the movie?

Read: Nic Cage In Talks To Play Mike “The Mouth” Matusow In Biopic