Self Marketing

While creating my last several posts, I couldn't help but notice several major poker players who have home pages that are nothing less than stellar. Clearly with popularity just soaring in the poker industry it is important for players to market themselves but some of these players have taken the extra step.

Of the players I researched the two that stood out the most were Doyle Brunson's website and Sam Farha's page. These are top of line websites with everything from simple biographies to guides and strategies. Check them out at http://www.doylebrunson.com/ and http://www.samfarha.com/.

A Legend is Born

This is video of a hand that has begun to meet legendary status in the poker circuit. Its two very famous faces, Jamie Gold (World Series of Poker main event 2006 winner) and Sam Farha, in an all out battle KK vs. AA. Watch and enjoy as the drama unfolds into history.

Poker on TV

The latest venture in the Poker market is poker on your television. No not just watching the latest tournaments because that already exists (Check out the MOJO channel, a 24 hour poker on cable mecca). This is interactive television in the form of a poker magazine show in which viewers email anything poker related such as home game stories, big wins, or bad beats. Sky Poker, which launched earlier this year, is paving the way in interactive poker television with their show 'The Club'.

Next for WPT

The next stop on the 2007 World Poker Tour comes brought to you by a very famous name. This seniors only event (50+)is named for none other the poker legend Doyle Brunson. December 12th- December 18th the Bellagio hosts the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic. With a steep entry fee of $15,000, this tournament is designed for the elite in poker play. But if $15,000 is to much for your wallet to handle don't give up just yet. During the week of November 26th there will be several $1000 satellites to the tournament.

Harrah's Looks into Online Possibilities

Major US casino company Harrah's has begun to express interest in expanding into the online market. During a Global Gaming Expo, Chief Executive Gary Loveman revealed that the company is looking into creating World Series of Poker branded online poker sites. The idea has met mixed reaction as it would be forced to completely leave out the US market because of legal set backs. Should a US company really be controlling a European gambling site?

Casino Earnings

PokerNews.com has reported the final third quarter earnings for three major casinos. Check out the numbers.

Harrah's Entertainment:

"Harrah's is in the process of being taken private, so their earning had little sway in the stock market. For their pending private equity buyers, there was some good news and some less than good news. In the third quarter of 2007, Harrah's total revenues grew by 13 percent when compared to the same period a year ago. Its third quarter adjusted earnings per share grew by 6.4% to $1.00 per diluted share from $0.94 per diluted share for the prior year, but still falling short of Wall Street's expectation of $1.05 per diluted share."

MGM Mirage:

"Wall Street had reduced their expectations for MGM Mirage's third quarter results, but apparently hadn't reduced them enough. MGM reported a third-quarter net income increase of 18 percent to $183.9 million, or 62 cents per share, compared to $156.3 million, or 54 cents per share, for the same period a year ago."

Wynn:

While MGM has to wait for validation its Macau investment, the third quarter served as both validation and vindication for the Wynn's Macau property. Wynn Macau opened on September 6, 2006 and only had 25 days of operation for the same period last year. With a full quarter of results to report this quarter, Wynn Macau generated net revenues (after discounts and commissions) of $347.7 million and adjusted property EBITDA of $92.8 million. Overall the company boosted adjusted net income in the third quarter to $73.4 million, or $0.67 per diluted share compared to an adjusted net loss of $1.3 million, or ($0.01) per diluted share in the third quarter of 2006. Not to be outshined by its baby Asian sister, Wynn Las Vegas generated adjusted property EBITDA of $93.2 million, a 20.6% increase from the third quarter of 2006.

Weekly You Tube Installment

Here is a weekly video from YouTube.com. This is a cute home video, always good to start them young.

It's That Time of Year

Just one word... Foxwoods. A gamblers oasis, the largest casino in the United States, and home to the Foxwoods World Poker Finals. A WPT event that ensures action and excitment. Here are a few photos of the action for your enjoyment, compliments of the World Poker Tour crew.

A Hidden Messgae

Recently Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick proposed a bill that would allow restore gambling within the state. This would appear to be a gamblers dream but in fact they are the very people that are opposing the bill. Hidden on page 28 of the bill is a clause that would make online gambling illegal. It reads:

"Any person who knowingly transmits or receives a wager of any type by any telecommunication device, including telephone, cellular phone, Internet, local area network, including wireless local networks, or any other similar device or equipment or other medium of communication, or knowingly installs or maintains said device or equipment for the transmission or receipt of wagering information shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 2 years, or a fine of not more than $25,000, or both."

Fortunately the Poker Player's Alliance (PPA) did not allow this to go over looked and they are urging gamblers to send letters to the Governor in an attempt to stop the bill from being passed.

Don't Eat the Chips?

No not your ordinary potato chip, this warning is about standard poker chips. Though it may be hard to believe the state of Arizona (my hometown) has actually released a statement warning people to not ingest poker chips. The warning issued states that poker chips may contains dangerously high levels of lead. More specifically, the chips that were tested were Paulson brand which are the most widely used poker chips in major casinos and are also sold to retail consumers.


Though eating poker chips may seem comical this issue is actually very serious. The amount of lead found in these poker chips was astronomical. One chip contains 45% lead which is 750 times the legal limit. When investigators asked Paulson brand representatives about the results they refused to respond.

WPT North American Poker Championship Wrap-up

With over 500 entries this years WPT North American Poker Championship had quite the turn out. As I highlighted in previous post, the tournament was hosted at Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario. And the action was just as great as the scenery. Being called one of the greatest final tables in WPT history the field narrowed down into these top players at the final showdown:

Seat No. 1: Kofi Farkye — 1,504,000
Seat No. 2: Jonathan Little — 2,616,000
Seat No. 3: Jeff "ActionJeff" Garza — 1,320,000
Seat No. 4: David Cloutier — 1,614,000
Seat No. 5: Barry Greenstein — 447,000
Seat No. 6: Scott "BigRiskky" Clements — 2,483,000

The talent ranged from two 19 year old Internet players to an amateur and an old poker pro. Also two former WPT champions battling it out for Card Player player of the year race. But in the end it Scott "BigRiskky" Clements who took home over one million dollars in prize money. This was no easy task as this event set the all time record for most hand played at a final table. A memorable event to say the least.

Final Table WPT North American Poker Championship

'Stud Poker Strategy'

The most bankable strategies in poker include not only playing the right cards but knowing how to read your opponents. Often even the most experienced players have what are called 'tells'. Poker tells are certain actions or body movements a player might make that would allow the other player to read into his cards. This can be very useful for calling out bluffs.

In a recent article by Ashley Adams for pokernews.com he highlights some of the greatest poker strategies (for STUD poker) that emphasize on reading other players tells. One of the tells he explains happens when a player receives his/her river card (the final card of the hand). Right after the player peeks at their final card, know pay attention cause this happens very quickly, they immediately look down at their chip stack. This lets you know that their hand requires a bet because their action is reflexive to their final card.

This is perhaps one of the most profitable tells in Stud Poker, so play close attention next time you find yourself at the tables.

Exciting News at the Venetian

By far one of Las Vegas's leading hotel and casinos, The Venetian rises above the competition with luxury and first class service. And what would a world class casino be without hosting a series of major poker events? Kathy Raymond, director of poker operations for The Venetian has just announced that the casino will hold its '2008 Deep Stack Extravaganza Series' which will feature both a tournament in February and one in June which will run the same time as the World Series of Poker (a strategy that hopes to bring in more players who will already be in the city). Like last years 2007 DSE, The Venetian promises, "With lower buy-ins, larger chip counts, more play and great blind structures and our luxurious, spacious, and exquisitely decorated poker room, these tournaments are like no other in Vegas."

Here is a complete list of the tournament schedule, events, and buy-ins for the February tournament compliments of pokernews.com

Date Buy-In Event
2/04 $330 NLHE (No Limit Hold'em)
2/05 $540 PLO w/ Rebuys
2/06 $330 NLHE
2/07 $540 NLHE
2/08 $1,060 NLHE
2/09 $540 NLHE
2/10 $1,060 NLHE
2/11 $330 NLHE
2/12 $540 Omaha 8 or Better
2/13 $330 NLHE
2/14 $540 NLHE
2/15 $540 NLHE
2/16 $540 NLHE
2/17 $1,060 NLHE
2/18 $330 NLHE
2/19 $540 H.O.R.S.E.
2/20 $330 NLHE
2/21 $540 NLHE
2/22 $1,060 NLHE
2/23 $540 NLHE
2/23 $225 Satellite w/ Rebuys
2/24 $2,060 NLHE

WPT North American Poker Championship

This years North American Poker Championship is turning out to be quite the event. The host of the event is non other then the great country of Canada. More specifically, Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagra Falls, Ontario is the stie for the much anticapted event and it has so much to offer. Known for being the largest gaming facility in Canada, Fallsviews is 2.5 million square feet of luxury and gaming. More than 3,000 slot machines, 140 gaming tables, and 368 extravagant rooms. Fallsview is the perfect location for this exciting WPT event.