The Banker Is Back – Brunson Battles Beal In Bobby’s Room

With $5M behind, Brunson felts the businessman.

Andrew Beal, the businessman/investor (whale) made famous in poker by the Michael Craig book “The Professor, The Banker and the Suicide King” was back in Las Vegas last night ready to go heads-up with the 2015 version of “the corporation” as represented by Todd Brunson.

Thanks to the diligent tweets of spectator Kyle Loman, fans were treated to updates throughout the night on the $50k/100k Limit Hold’em nosebleed battle that took place in Bellagio's famed Bobby’s Room.

It’s thought that both sides started with $5M in front of them and over the course of roughly 8 hours (we approximate that based on the timestamps of Loman’s tweets, could be way off) the younger Brunson, with his famous father Doyle on his rail, felted the businessman for all $5M. Here’s key updates as they happened last night…

For every tweet, just check out Kyle Loman’s Twitter account.

No word on if there is more action to be had, but if history is any indication Beal just may want another shot at getting his money back.

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Master Of His Domain – Alex Dreyfus Defends Inagural Global Poker Masters

Taken to task by All In, Dreyfus bears his fangs.

The virtual pages of All In Magazine featured a bit of a tit for tat exchange between senior All In writer (and future weatherman?) Storms Reback and head honcho of the Global Poker Index, Alex Dreyfus.

Earlier this week Reback published an editorial questioning the necessity of the upcoming “nation v. nation” poker event, the Global Poker Masters, and basically said that it’s much ado about nothing.

I just don’t understand the desire to take a quintessentially individual pursuit like poker and turn it into a team game. Haven’t we been down this road before? In 2010, an organization called World Team Poker hosted a tournament featuring eight six-player teams. In the end, Team China defeated Team Brazil, and no one cared. And yet somehow the Global Poker Masters is supposed to be different?

Of course, we can’t sum up all of Reback’s feelings and we don’t want to take his words out of context so you should check out his column and what he calls his “disdain” for the upcoming Global Poker Masters.

Read: Empty Cup?

It didn’t take long for GPI’s own Alex Dreyfus to author his own late night rebuttal to the piece and ship it off to All In. Promptly published, Alex defends the GPM, the GPI, the upcoming American Poker Awards and even why he thinks the poker media and its stale headlines need some fresh ideas to stimulate the masses.

That’s the difference between a journalist (you) and an entrepreneur (me). No offense, but if every time something new and innovative is launched and fails then we stop considering it, there will be no evolution. That’s stupid. I’m not sure that your first sexual experience should determine your entire sexual life ;)

(Alex Dreyfus loves emoticons, guys.)

Read the rebuttal: Masters Plan

So what do you think? Are you excited for the live stream of the Global Poker Masters or will it go the way of the Onyx Cup, the Caesers Cup or the World Cup Of Poker (which may even still be a thing)?

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Brain Games – Can The “Gambling Instinct” Lead To Better Learning?

Uncertain outcomes tend to stimulate the brain.

“No gamble, no future” – degens everywhere.

A leading neuroscientist from the University of Bristol is conducting a study to test his theory that, in a sense, gambling is good for the brain. Dr. Paul Howard-Jones, the leader of the study, would like to see if he can take the same instinct that casinos tap into and bring it into the classroom by adding an element of chance to his lessons, stimulate the brain and help significantly boost learning.

According to Dr. Howard-Jones, his research has already shown that uncertain results helps stimulate the brain.

“It is thought we evolved that way because it encourages us towards tasks that are more uncertain,” Dr Howard-Jones said. “If we are totally confident of what is going to happen we are less interested, but if the odds are 50-50 then we tend to be more interested in taking part. It is something that has been exploited by casinos for years.”

The study will take place over 81 schools, 12K+ students and span through 2017.

Maybe the phrase should be “some gamble, bright future.”

Read more: Gambling instinct could boost learning, says leading neuroscientist

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Rafal Nadal’s Pursuit Of Poker Greatness

It’s not uncommon to find athletes from just about every sport in the world try their hand at poker. While professional sports can push one’s body to the extreme, poker can ignite the fire of competition within the mind – something high caliber athletes thrive on.

But it’s not too often that a champion amongst champions in their given sport dedicates the time and attention that poker requires to get to the mountaintop. Rafa Nadal, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, seems to be taking his ascension in the world of poker very seriously and with the backing and support of online poker mammoth PokerStars at his back he’s getting every opportunity to raise his game.

Check out this mini-documentary about Nadal’s preparation for his celebrity poker debut at last year’s EPT Prague.

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

A Look Inside The Mind Of The Poker Celebrity

Is Hellmuth a celebrity? Just ask him.

So what’s it like to be a big-time poker celebrity? Stopped on the street to take selfies, asked for autographs at inopportune times and recognized even when you’d prefer to be incognito.

PokerStars put a few of the most recognizable poker faces it could find (Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Liv Boeree and Victoria Coren Mitchell) in front of the camera and asked them to give a little insight as to what it feels like to always be under the bright spotlight and warm embrace of poker fame.

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Poker Tips That Help You Fake It 'Til You Make It

Deadspin attempts to educate the masses.

The tough-talking columnists over at Deadspin want to help you not to be such an eff-up when you sit down at your first poker game.

Now, for the loyal legions of F5 readers, this is not going to be a problem. We know you have poker in your veins, but for that buddy of yours….the guy (or girl) who just doesn’t “get it”, you may want to sit them down and have him (or her) check out some simple rules on what to do and not to do in order not to look like they a part of the population of Clown Town.

We’ll take you through some basic table etiquette, parlance, and rudimentary concepts for playing soundly. But remember: We’re only here to make you Good Enough. We aren’t even trying to keep you out of the “If you can’t spot the sucker in the first 20 minutes …” pile, since an experienced player will get a sense of where everyone stands easily enough. We’re more aiming for “Just make sure you’re second-slowest when you’re escaping the bear” territory.

Know when it’s your turn. Stack your f**king chips. Don’t take money off the table.

You know, the basics …but in the end Deadspin takes what some stuffy poker sites would turn into a lecture and makes it a helpful humorous article – regardless of how much you know about poker etiquette.

Check it out: How To Survive At A Poker Table

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Gavin Griffin – At Home On The Range

Triple crown winner offers advice on hand reading, range building.

You know, there’s a lot of professional and semi-pro poker players who get solicited to provide strategy articles on various poker topics because of their on-the-felt prowess. Fact is, not all of these guys and girls can accurately articulate their thoughts into a column that’s both informative and instrumental. For triple crown winner Gavin Griffin, this is not a problem.

In fact, his column in Card Player is one of the most consistently readable and informative strategy/concept articles on our radar.

In his most recent write-up, Griffin takes an in-depth look at how to build hand ranges by taking a specific high-profile hand and attempting to backwards engineer the thought process that led to how it was ultimately played. While there’s no guarantee that Gavin is dead on in his own read of the situation, as he talks though each street one gets their own ideas of how they should think about hand ranges as a general concept – something you need to have if you want to get better at your game.

Instead of waiting until you’re facing a tough decision and then trying to figure out what your opponent has, your view of their range should be constantly in flux. From hand to hand, session to session, your opponents will continually give you more information that helps you define their range in each situation and you need to take that into account when you assign them a range.

Take a few minutes and check out his latest offering, you’ll be glad you did: Poker Strategy With Gavin Griffin: Range Building

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Jason Mercier Can Stand The Heat

Living the life of a baller poker superstar has it’s perks. One of those includes getting the opportunities we mere mortals don’t often get but would love to have…like meeting your sports hero.

Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier is a well-known, avid fan of the Miami Heat so he’s gotta be stoked to have had this shot taken with 2-time NBA Champion Chris Bosh.

Bosh really wanted a pic with me. Must be a poker fan…

The Heat went on to lose by a bucket to the Charlotte Hornets last night and Mercier, who has declared that his likely skipping the 2015 Aussie Millions this year, likely flew back to Florida to chill on his super baller boat.

More Mercier right here: Joe Stapleton Whips Up A Big English Breakfast

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Daniel Negreanu Got His Mind On His Money

Mindfulness and meditation leading to "higher consciousness."

Are you still losing your shit every time you take a bad beat? Does your heart pump out of your chest before you attempt a big bluff? Are you worried about the chip average instead of the decision right in front of you? If any of these situations ring true perhaps you need a little more “mindfulness” in your life.

More and more the upper echelon of professional poker players are expanding their in-depth analysis of the game into the game of life. Take Daniel Negreanu for instance… the All-Time Money Leader is seemingly on a never-ending quest for self-definition and improvement and he takes being of sound mind super serious.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a lot of the young players at the highest levels, playing the super high rollers and other high stakes poker, also spend a lot of time thinking about life at a higher consciousness.

It’s moved Daniel to write about how meditation and mindfulness can not just help you achieve a little more peace in your life but it can also help you deal with some of the stress associated with playing the game of poker.

It isn’t a coincidence to me that the these guys are successful at poker. All are brilliant minds who would likely be successful without this mindset, but I believe they are exponentially more successful because mindfulness is part of their daily practice.

So how can getting your mind right benefit you on the felt? Check out DNegs blog over at Full Contact Poker: Mindfulness In Poker

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Vince Van Patten’s Housewife Fueled Home Game

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills raise the stakes.

Did you know that the World Poker Tour's own Vince Van Patten is married to one of the reality stars The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Well, he is and in a recent episode of the Bravo TV show Vince, Eileen (his wife of 10+ years) and the ladies sit down for a little high-stakes home game where it becomes clear not only has Vince not taught the table the basics on how to play the game, he’s never spoken to his own wife about poker table “in your face” etiquette.

Not gunna lie friends, this is a rough watch.

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Faraz Jaka – Homeless Is Where His Heart Is

CNN profiles everyone's favorite poker nomad.

For professional poker player Faraz Jaka, money truly cannot buy happiness.

But within his pursuit of money, in the form of capturing poker championships, Faraz has been led down a path of enlightenment as he slowly began getting rid of his physical “things” in exchange for traveling the world and experiencing all that his journeys have to offer.

Watch as CNN Money takes a quick look inside the Life of Jaka.

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

WSOP Champ Greg Merson – Limping And Livestreaming

World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Greg Merson is going to find plenty of time to grind online over the next 8 weeks as he’s likely going to be off his feet…with a torn Achilles tendon.

The injury (which we are guessing came during a basketball game) comes on the heels of the announcement that the Champ was planning on taking part in his first Twitch.tv streaming session this Thursday from 5-8pm. But despite the physical setback and provided he’s not in too much pain, fans may still be able to catch Merson multi-tabling over on WSOP.com.

Get well soon Greg!

published 9 years, 1 month ago • by permalink

Daniel Negreanu Hopes The NHL Deals Las Vegas A Franchise

Negreanu looks to get in on the ground floor.

The National Hockey League has an advocate at the top of the poker food chain as “Kid Poker” Daniel Negreanu is rallying his troops in hopes to draw enough interest in getting the NHL to place a team in the desert that is Las Vegas.

Negreanu reportedly met with the prospective owner(s) and while Kid Hockey’s involvement in any kind of ownership is currently unknown, he’s at the forefront of the Las Vegas hockey bandwagon. Daniel has not been shy about using his extensive social media presence to promote the idea and even try to garner interest in pre-sale season tickets to the as-yet-unconfirmed team.

Could Daniel Negreanu put his One Drop winnings to work and purchase a tiny ownership stake in a professional sports team? He took to his blog to talk about all things NHL and argue point by point, from a tourism and sports betting standpoint, on why ice hockey will work in the desert.

I’m personally quite excited about the prospects of an NHL team in Las Vegas and I believe strongly that not only will we get a team, but that hockey will work in this sports starved city. As mentioned previously, the NHL needs to add two teams to the Western Conference and it appears to me that Las Vegas and Seattle are both viable options and frontrunners for a team.

Read more: Daniel Negreanu’s Hockey Blog

Also:Poker Star Negreanu: NHL Will Work In Las Vegas

published 9 years, 2 months ago • by permalink

Star Struck – Bay 101 Announces 2015 Shooting Star Roster

Bounties abound!

The 2015 World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star, the centerpiece of WPT’s “California Swing”, has locked down their massive roster of “wanted” poker superstars.

One bounty for every card in the deck, a (mostly male) mixture of seasoned professionals (like Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Hellmuth and Erik Seidel) and fresh faces (like Tyler Patterson, Garrett Greer and Anthony Zinno) sit amongst the poker population and try to avoid coughing up the $2500 prize that goes to the lucky grinder takes them out.

While the full list is still subject to change, the current lineup ensures that you know the way to San Jose and find yourself in the $7500 by-in event, you are for sure going to be swimming in deep waters as there’s not a table in Bay 101 that won’t have a shark seated at it.

Here’s the current list of Shooting Stars:

Daniel Negreanu
Antonio Esfandiari
Erik Seidel
Phil Hellmuth
Jason Mercier
Jonathan Duhamel
Joe Hachem
Scotty Nguyen
Jennifer Harman
Maria Ho
Ronit Chamani
Lily Kiletto
JC Tran
Sorel Mizzi
Mike Matusow
Dan Smith
Ryan Riess
Nick Schulman
Dan Shak
John Hennigan
Andrew Lichtenberger
Mike Sexton
Bryn Kenney
Marvin Rettenmaier
Jeff Madsen
Noah Schwartz
Faraz Jaka
Mohsin Charania
Will “The Thrill” Failla
Chris Moorman
Todd Brunson
Dominik Nitsche
Mike Leah
Kevin Stammen
Joe Kuether
Mukul Pahuja
Matt Stout
Darren Elias
Andy Frankenberger
Greg Mueller
Jason Koon
Joe Serock
Aaron Massey
Jared Jaffee
Garrett Greer
James Carroll
Matt Salsberg
Anthony Zinno
Tyler Patterson
Bruce Buffer
Matt Savage
Kevin Mathers

For more information on satellites and entry information, check out the Bay 101 website.

published 9 years, 2 months ago • by permalink

WSOP Bracelet Winner Darren Woods Headed To Jail For Online Fraud

In 2010 UK poker pro Darren Woods was a rising poker superstar having captured a World Series of Poker bracelet. Here in 2015, Woods is getting ready to do 15 months of hard time for defrauding poker players out of “hundreds of thousands” of dollars.

Woods allegedly had multiple computers set up using proxy servers so he could sit in the same games under different aliases, cheat fellow players and even take greater advantage of online poker promotions.

Here’s the added kicker for Woods: he pled guilty so he’s going to jail but…if he doesn’t find a way to pay back approx $1.5 million to those he cheated, the 29-year old could spend an additional 6 years behind bars. Also, Woods’ dad also received a 6-month jail term for helping Woods move around large sums of money.

According to PokerNews UK, the judge in Woods’ case laid it out for Darren:

“You are an intelligent, able and even gifted young man but you turned your talents towards defrauding online gambling companies and cheating other players of online poker. In individual games, other people playing against you stood to lose money because the odds had been rigged in your favour by the creation of multiple identities which were undisclosed to other players.”

Woods was thought to have been cheating between 2007 and January 2012.

published 9 years, 2 months ago • by permalink

Full House: Las Vegas – The Real World For Rounders

It looks like there’s a new poker reality show being shopped around. “Full House: Las Vegas” finds online poker millionaire and poker training coach David 'GhettoFabulous’ Randall searching for five people (of the allegedly 640,000 who consider themselves professional poker players) showing young poker promise to live in a house, stop being polite and start getting real.

(h/t Kevmath)

published 9 years, 2 months ago • by permalink