Mouthy Pinup Anna Benson Becomes Newest Celebrity Poker Face Online

Anna Benson wants people to know she's a brain as much as she's a bosom, and she's using a year-old poker hobby to prove it. Benson has joined the ranks of Cindy Margolis, another poker-savvy bombshell, in signing a multi-year deal with online poker room Golden Spirit Poker.

Tuesday, 31 January 2006

WPT and Travel Channel Bury the Hatchet for Sake of Potentially Lucrative Professional Poker Tour

A lawsuit that has tainted the longstanding relationship between WPT Enterprises and the Travel Channel has ended “amicably,” according to a joint statement released by the companies. Now that the the dream team of poker programming has done away with the bad blood, the two companies can prepare to air the much-talked-about Professional Poker Tour (PPT).

Tuesday, 31 January 2006

Forward-Thinking Pastor Finds Piety in Poker

A pastor in the Canadian city of Alberta, known for embracing pop culture phenomenons and finding in them religious significance, is now preaching the values of poker. John Van Sloten prefers seeking out the positive aspects of fads that have already conquered the whole world over, such as poker, instead of futilely shunning them.

Monday, 30 January 2006

Chinese Child Genius Has His Nose in the Cards- Poker is Favored Hobby

Few are immune to the worldwide poker craze, not even pint-sized Chinese whiz kids. Indeed, Zhang Xinyang, the child who made headlines last year for becoming the youngest college student in mainland China, is also a poker fan. When he's not hitting the books at Tianjin University of Technology and Education, Xinyang is hitting the poker felt.

Monday, 30 January 2006

Dry Spell Ends for Poker Pro Daniel Negreanu, Wins WSOP Circuit Event

Following a considerable period of lackluster performance on the poker tournament circuit, former Player of the Year Daniel Negreanu proved he's still 'got game' with this weekend's win at the WSOP circuit event in Tunica, Mississippi. For his skillful poker play, Negreanu was awarded a cool quarter million.

Sunday, 29 January 2006

Three-Card Poker Makes Its Debut at Aces.com

Aces.com, an online gaming site from the house of Sportingbet, announced over the weekend that is has begun to offer three-card poker as part of its casino game portfolio. Three-card poker joins Aces.com's lineup of casino table games, which already includes blackjack, Caribbean Stud, roulette, and more.

Sunday, 29 January 2006

Israel Launches National Poker League, Plans to Send Player to WSOP

Israel, the land of milk and poker? Indeed, the Holy Land is also cashing in on the worldwide poker craze. The country's official “Israel Poker Association” is getting ready to launch its first poker league, a series of tournament events that will ultimately send one Israeli representative to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Saturday, 28 January 2006

Class President Bank Robber Undergoes Treatment for Online Poker Addiction

Greg Hogan, the former university class president who, in December, allegedly robbed a bank to cover his poker losses, is now undergoing treatment for compulsive gambling. Hogan, who was a student at the time at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, made off with $2,871 after leading bank employees to believe that he was armed.

Saturday, 28 January 2006

Bluff Magazine Takes On European Poker Players with New Publication

Bluff Magazine, America's most widely-distributed poker magazine, is branching out to poker fans on the other side of the Atlantic with its forthcoming Bluff Europe, which is set to hit the stands March 1. Distribution is thus far limited to online poker sites, with several UK and Continental European Internet poker rooms divvying out the magazine.

Friday, 27 January 2006

Poker Oddity of the Week: Nudists spread clothing-optional gospel to students with strip poker tournament

No, at Poker777, we don't have a fetish with nude poker. Despite the fact that the subject has made its way to our headlines already once this week, this story was just too good to pass up. With the average age of nudists hovering around the 35 to 55 range, one clothing-optional resort is trying something a little different to bring fresh, um, meat into the fold: poker.

Friday, 27 January 2006

Two Robberies in Two Months: Virginia poker league dealt a bad hand

For the second time in two months, an exclusive poker league in the state of Virginia was the scene of a holdup when an armed robber descended on a Manassas poker game, taking with him about $4,000 and a good deal of the group's morale. In November of last year, the same league convened for a Texas Hold 'em tournament in Fairfax, when two masked men busted in and stole approximately $5,000, as well as watches, mobile phones, and car keys from tournament players.

Thursday, 26 January 2006

Caesars Poker Room to Host NBC's Televised Heads-Up Poker Tournament

NBC is getting ready to air the second National Heads-Up Championship, a “must-see” poker tournament featuring the biggest names in professional poker. NBC's foray last year into the realm of poker programming demonstrated the extent to which poker had made its way into the mainstream.

Thursday, 26 January 2006

Online Poker Player Nabs Super Bowl Tickets in Tournament Win

Lucky winners of Aces.com's weekly online poker tournaments have been the beneficiaries of football tickets since the beginning of this soon-ending NFL season. In honor of the end of the season, Aces.com staged its final weekly poker tournament, which boasted a grand prize of two tickets to the Super Bowl, as well as airfare to and lodging in Detroit.

Wednesday, 25 January 2006

Live 3D Poker Lets Poker Players Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is with Real Money Play

Last year, Live 3D Poker released its three-dimensional poker software on a play-for-fun basis. Yesterday, the company announced that the online poker site is now open for real money play. The downloadable 3-D online poker software is compatible with PCs as well as with Macintosh's operating system.

Wednesday, 25 January 2006

World Poker Tour Adds New Tour Stop and Axes Online Poker Partnerships

The World Poker Tour (WPT) just announced that it would be stopping at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino as part of the tour's fifth season. Mandalay Bay joins the Mirage and Bellagio, the other two casinos thus far booked to host WPT events during season five. All three Las Vegas casinos are owned by MGM Mirage.

Tuesday, 24 January 2006

In Online Poker Showdown, Empire Online Holds its Own with Q4 2005 Results

In the fight for online poker supremacy, it seems that the bruised and battered Empire Online may prevail just yet. Empire Online seems to have achieved the impossible by demonstrating strong figures in today's Q4 2005 trading update. Empire's stellar performance comes despite harsh odds posed by competitor/former partner PartyGaming late in the third quarter when the latter cut Empire and other “skin” sites off of its main poker platform.

Tuesday, 24 January 2006

B-List Hollywood Actor Nets Top Prize in Online Poker Tournament

Joe Reitman, Annie Duke boy-toy and Hollywood B-lister extraordinaire, has taken home $266,000 for winning an UltimateBet.com online poker tournament. The UltimateBet poker tournament boasted a total prize pool of $1 million. Reitman beat out a respectable 2,700 players to take first place.

Monday, 23 January 2006

Online Poker Room Purple Lounge Uses Cash to Spread the Love for Valentine's Day

Online poker room Purple Lounge is bringing romance to the poker table. Well, if not romance, then at least cash. In honor of Valentine's Day, Purple Lounge is giving players the chance to win some extra cash while playing poker at the site with its Two Hearts Hand Promotion.

Monday, 23 January 2006

Las Vegas Strip Club's Topless Poker Tournaments Give New Meaning to No-Limit Hold 'em

Sin Gentlemen’s Club in Las Vegas is hosting poker tournaments bound to tickle someone's fancy. The appropriately-named Sin is saying goodbye to buy-ins and a great big hello to nudity with its upcoming 2006 Topless Poker Tournament season. Starting February 7, Sin's “gentlemen” clientele will be treated to No-Limit Hold 'em of a different color.

Sunday, 22 January 2006

Online Poker Tournament Pits UK Soccer Legends Against Each Other for Charity

Manchester United ex-footballer Gary Bailey and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish are putting their best feet forward today for a competition that's a little different than their usual fare. Both former British soccer stars have taken an aim at victory, but instead of eying the goalposts, they'll have their faces in the cards, poker cards.

Sunday, 22 January 2006

Poker Pair Chip and Karina Jett Look for Cash Away from the Felt

One of pro poker's most famous couples, Chip and Karina Jett, are going the route of many poker players before them in their search for added income away from the poker table. Busy tournament schedules notwithstanding, the duo have launched a licensing and retail business called JettPoker Inc., through which they will seek licensing, sponsorship, media and branding ventures around the world.

Saturday, 21 January 2006

The World Poker Tour Gets High-Tech with Artificial Intelligence Video Game Debuting on PSP

The World Poker Tour is officially moving from living room television sets across the nation to a PlayStation Portable (PSP) near you. 2K Sports, a brand from the house of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., announced that poker video gamers can expect the PSP version of the WPT video game to hit the shelves this spring.

Friday, 20 January 2006

Seven Players Remain in Australian Poker Championship

Out of 418 players, just 36 remained at the start of day four of the five-day Australian Poker Championships, better known to poker fans as the Aussie Millions. With the bubble having burst and each remaining player already in the money, the final three dozen continued to battle it out for the top prize in the richest poker tournament held in the southern hemisphere.

Thursday, 19 January 2006

Charity Poker with A-Rod: Jay-Z, Michael Jordan, Vin Diesel, and Phil Hellmuth on the guest list

You can be sure that when Yankees star Alex Rodriguez rallies for a cause, the upper crust of American celebrity, athletic or otherwise, will be rallying for it as well. Proof of this is in the list of heavyweight names slated to attend A-Rod's forthcoming charity poker tournament, which will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami.

Wednesday, 18 January 2006

Romanian Priest Gets Bad Beat in Busted Pub Poker Game

In Romania, a parish priest was caught “red handed” playing an allegedly illegal game of poker, an act that could possibly cost him his post in the Orthodox Church. Vasile Mihaila had been playing poker in a pub when police entered the joint for a routine search.

Tuesday, 17 January 2006

Off-Duty Cop Taken into Custody After Shots Ring Out at Unruly Poker Game

An early morning Sunday poker game in the town of Casselberry, Florida, turned ugly when one hopeful participant decided to turn a gun on two other players. To make matters worse, the alleged perpetrator was an off-duty policeman. According to the allegations, Officer Daniel John Metevier let his gun do the talking after being denied entrance to a poker game at the home of Francis Webster.

Monday, 16 January 2006

$100,000 Buy-In High Stakes Poker Show Airs Monday Night

Set your TiVo for tomorrow night because, at 9 pm, High Stakes Poker is making its official foray onto a television near you. High Stakes Poker is the latest addition to the GSN casino lineup. GSN is taking poker back to basics, shifting the emphasis from tournament poker back to cash games, albeit very pricey cash games. The game will be divided up into 13 weekly episodes.

Sunday, 15 January 2006

Bluff Magazine Gives Regular Joe Poker Players a Voice with Reader's Choice Awards

Bluff Magazine, the most widely distributed poker magazine in America, announced that voting has opened for Bluff's inaugural Reader's Choice Awards. Online voting kicked off this past Thursday and continues through June 1. Winners will be revealed in the July issue of Bluff.

Saturday, 14 January 2006

Poker Gets a Good Deal from Calamity Jane

Gunslinging cowgirl Calamity Jane has “risen” from the grave just to play a few games of Texas hold 'em. Yes, she died more than a century ago, but for poker dealer/impersonator Dianne Gleason, Calamity Jane is as alive as ever.

Friday, 13 January 2006

Poker Academy Texas Holdem Brings Artificial Intelligence Educational Tool to UK and Scandinavia

Video game publisher Merscom LLC is helping bring “Poker Academy Texas Holdem,” an advanced poker tutorial program, to the UK and Scandinavia. The Poker Academy software makes use of the “Poki” artificial intelligence system for poker, which allows the computer to adapt its “playing style” to that of the human player, posing more of a challenge than other computerized poker tutorials.

Thursday, 12 January 2006

L.A. Poker Classic Brings World Poker Tour to Commerce Casino Next Week

Commerce Casino, home to 200 poker tables, the most of any card room in the world, is gearing up for the month-long L.A. Poker Classic, which kicks off on January 19. The L.A. Poker Classic, a World Poker Tour (WPT) event, will feature a wide range of poker game variations including Limit Hold 'Em, Stud Hi/Low Split, Pot Limit Omaha High, 7-Card Stud, and Omaha Hi/Low Split, culminating in the final championship event, which starts on February 16.

Wednesday, 11 January 2006

River Belle Floats New Online Poker Room

Online casino River Belle announced that it has added a new poker room to its gaming portfolio. Games available at River Belle Online Poker include Texas Hold 'em, Omaha Hi/Low, 5-Card Stud and 7-Card Stud. The poker room allows players to convene at their own private tables, and play at up to 10 tables at a time.

Tuesday, 10 January 2006

Poker Cards Debuted in China as Tool to Boost Bird Flu Awareness

As a potential bird flu pandemic has stirred great concern across the world at large, in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi, a new effort at promoting awareness has emerged in the form of poker cards. The Chinese national news service reported that a new line of poker cards has been launched with information about bird flu printed on the back of each card.

Monday, 9 January 2006

Britney Spears Brings New Baby to Poker Party

Three months after the birth of her son Sean Preston, Britney Spears showed up, hubby and little tyke in tow, to the launch party for her father's new poker venture. Jamie Spears has entered into a joint poker project with the Maloof brothers, owners of the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Sunday, 8 January 2006

Police Still After Gunmen from New Year's Eve Poker Game Heist

In Virginia, a friendly poker game among neighbors turned treacherous, when four armed men crashed the game and robbed the players. Seven neighbors had convened on New Year's Eve at a local garage for some poker action. The new year had already rung in, and everything seemed good and well for the poker buddies.

Saturday, 7 January 2006

Cindy Margolis and Cyndy Violette Join Celebrity Agent for Proposed Reality Poker TV Show

Mike Easterman, agent to the stars, has partnered up with celebrity poker babe Cindy Margolis and pro player Cyndy Violette for a planned reality poker television show. The show plans to take amateur poker players and pit them against celebrities and poker pros.

Friday, 6 January 2006

Mobile WSOP Products to Debut in 2006 Thanks to Harrah's and Glu Mobile Deal

Mobile entertainment developer and publisher Glu Mobile has inked a deal with Harrah's License Company for use of Harrah's World Series of Poker (WSOP) brand name in a new line of mobile content. Forthcoming WSOP-branded mobile products include games, graphics, ringtones and other applications.

Thursday, 5 January 2006

Poker Oddity of the Week: Poker cow gives the gift of giving

In the race to attract new blood to online poker sites, many companies have opted to up the bonus ante, offering bigger and bigger bonus rewards. One site, however, is giving a different type of bonus, one which I can pretty safely say is the first of it's kind. Poker Bonus Direct's latest bonus offer is a horse of a different color, or should I say cow?

Wednesday, 4 January 2006

Players Say There's Something Fishy about World Champion Poker 2 with Howard Lederer

Now that poker fans have had a chance to give the new “World Champion Poker 2” video game a whirl, some users have had interesting reactions. While, in general, feedback has been positive, the game has a couple of glitches and quirks that have apparently made winning an even greater challenge.

Tuesday, 3 January 2006

Hilton Sister Hosts New Year's Poker Tournament Bash

Nicky Hilton, the less visible of the Hilton “celebutantes,” and her boyfriend, actor Kevin Connolly helped break in the new poker room at Caesars Palace on New Year's Eve. The pair co-hosted a poker tournament as part of the New Year's festivities at Pure, Caesars flagship nightclub, while Nicky's sister, Paris, was hosting her own “to do” across the street at the Venetian.

Monday, 2 January 2006

Online Poker Network Prima and The Hendon Mob Say Goodbye after 3-Year Partnership

The Prima Network, a group of linked online poker sites, is pulling the plug on its partnership with pro poker posse “The Hendon Mob.” The third and final sponsorship deal between the two groups has run its course, with Prima and The Hendon Mob going their separate ways.

Sunday, 1 January 2006