WSOP : Poker tournaments in Quebec designate their representatives

A few times before the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, the greatest poker tournament that players all around the world are waiting impatiently, different players qualified for this stage are already known. At the end of the different battleships and satellites which are played through the world, numerous amateurs but talented will be present at the end of this tournament. The league of poker tournament of Quebec (LTPQ) which held on last May 18th the session 2-Season 2 of the tournament that they organize has just found the player representative of this country at the WSOP. Philip Isabelle, a player from Saint-Gervais, used to the “Bar au Sportif” of the same region, in Bellechasse-Etchemins won the second position among 490 participants at this tournament.

Saturday, 30 May 2009

Decrease of casinos’ activities: The French State reduces the tax of €40 millions

To save French industry of games which really endure decrease of activities because of the financial crisis and competition with online games, the French State has just decided to support operators. If the previous tax deduction from casinos wasn’t modified since 1986, the fall of 8% of this sector activity after 20 years of growth made the government change its mind. “Concerning the season 2008-2009, these first months tendency leads to consider a decrease above 10% compared with that of the previous year”, the State asserts for justifying the government bill that it will publish in a few days. “It is necessary to make use of quickly measures which allow supporting these societies”, it continued.

Saturday, 30 May 2009

South Africa : Preparation of a legal context for online game

Facing the emptiness of jurisdiction in South Africa, online game operators took an advantage of seducing customers in Mandela’s country to come to their site. So, during these last months, the number of South Africans who played on these online poker and sports’ betting websites registered dazzling increase. The reason is that since a few time, numerous online casinos accept South African rand for playing on their portal. But South African government decided to react in front of this gamers’ flight to online website, giving up, in the other hand, physical casinos.

Thursday, 28 May 2009

Malta : 230 online casino societies installed

Malta Island which has been one the country member of the European Union having opening the earliest his market for online poker, is becoming now a real destination of establishment for these enterprises. In spite of the fact that it is forbidden in France and some countries, sites of online gambles are legally authorized on this little territory in the middle of the Mediterranean sea. From this site, these different societies aim markets still closed like that of France. “During a long time, the Frech State relieved the idea that we were outlaws, but it never lodged any complaint against us, knowing well that European Court would blame it”, François Brust, general manager of a website portal of poker which installed there his head office, committed.

Thursday, 28 May 2009

Professional poker player : A different prize list since 2008 for J.C Tran

After winning his first WSOP bracelet in 2008, J.C Tran brought since last summer particular style to his impressive prize list as a professional poker player. By winning this trophy dreamed by many players, he added indeed a noteworthy sign to the $7.4 millions of gain that he already won till here. However, this Vietnam guy’s ride, whose family moved to United States since he was two years old, is remarkable. During WSOP 2008, he was essential facing the other 2,718 participants at the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em tournament which made him winning $683,473. Among the seven places paid by the player during this World Series of Poker edition of last year, he achieved at the final table of three places paid.

Thursday, 28 May 2009

Sebastien Chabal : My appearance doesn’t impress in poker

Known for his caveman’s look with an impressive appearance, the French player of the “XV de France”, Sébastien Chabal who has been observed during great tournaments in France of these last weeks, at the EPT finale in Monte-Carlo and at the charity tournament “Ante up for Africa” still shows his passion for poker. His talent for this game was also proved because he had achieved at the final table during this charity tournament. If his height of 1.92m and his corpulence are an important advantage on the ground, this rugbyman who has just signed a contract for 3 years at the Racing Métro 92 de Paris asserts that at poker, it is really different. “Once sitting around the table, we are all at the same level. My impressive appearance isn’t useful at all!” Chabal asserts. « It’s a game, a pleasure. I don’t have great strengths enough », he continues.

Thursday, 28 May 2009

Meet A Poker Legend

Doyle F. Brunson (August 10, 1933 - ) has been a legendary American professional poker player for over 50 years. He is the first to win the WSOP two consecutive times, has been inducted to the Poker Hall of Fame, and the author of some of the most influential poker strategy books. He's been voted the most influential force in the world of poker.

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

Texas : The bill for liberalizing poker brought forward in 2010

Despite the long procedure opened since 2008 by the democrat Jose Menendez in the State of Texas, in order to liberalize gambling and poker, this elected person has decided on last 14th May to remove his project. Even though this draft of text has been welcomed by many persons in this economic revival period, the Texas governor, Ricky Perry who advertised to impose his veto against any project of the same kind made him shrinking back. “You have to know when to bet or when to fold!” he asserted when he took the decision to interrupt the bill HB222. Nevertheless, on November 2008, Menendez has already presented this bill in front of the House of Representatives; on the 25th of March, the project has already convinced also the committee of licenses and administrative procedures in Texas within which 6 votes against 3 passed it.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

WSOP 2009: Raymond Domenech announces his participation.

After some poker parties through which the current coach of the French football team, Raymond Domenech, already appeared like RTL9 Poker Tour and Partouche Poker Tour, this coach of the “Bleus” unveils his future ambitions. So, his probable participation at the next WSOP was announced. “I want to tackle the World Championship in Las Vegas”, he told during an interview granted to the Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport. Enthusiastic about poker, the man who has already been at the head of the French national team of football during the World Cup 2006, during the Euro 2008 and through numerous French Team matches until now, decides, thus to test his talent for this great competition of poker.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Barcelona WPT: Less than one month to get ready

By one month, World Poker Tour will take place again in Spanish land, in Barcelona town. For this inaugural stage of the season VIII of this poker appointment, the event will be held from the 24th to 30th of June 2009 at Barcelona Gran Casino. After one week of battleship during the “WPT Spanish Championship”, a Main Event for €5,300 will finish this competition, already enroll at great players’ calendar. This event will be an opportunity to designate the successor of the Danish Casper Hansen, winner among the 253 players at the Barcelona WPT 2008. Thanks to this wide participation, a global prize pool of €1,278,396 was made up there. For his first position, Casper earned thus €425,000. During the first Spanish edition of the WPT in 2007, it was Ludovic Lacay who won the trophy.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Spanish Poker Tour: Victory of Emilio González during the 3rd set

During its stage in Madrid, the Spanish Poker Tour which took place at Gran Casino Aranjuez has seen the consecration of an autochthon, Antonio González. For this third set of the SPT which was done from last 14th to17th May, a total of 101 players was registered at the beginning of this € 1110 buy-in tournament. Compared with the stage played in Seville one month before, an increase of 30% of the participants’ number was recorded. The reason of this success is the introduction by the tour’s managers, Thomas Kremser and Gerard Serra, two experienced persons for the setting up of great European tournaments of a structure considered as more playable. For the Day 1, seven levels of 60 minutes were used to select th best players at this first match.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Poker Showdown

Showdown in Poker lingo means when the remaining players exposing and comparing their hands to determine the winner after the last betting round.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Kara Scott: A bracelet won by a woman is possible this year

After a promising result of the European Poker Tour's presenter, Kara Scott during the last 12 months, this poker player and emcee of the programs "Sky poker" and "Poker Night Live" seems completely ready for the WSOP. With a second position at Irish Open, winning so 312,600 Euro and numerous successes as the 104th position at WSOP Main Event last year ($41,186), second at EPT Budapest (5,320 Euro) and winner of PartyPoker Sports Star Challenge 2008 for £26,000, this Englishwoman widely showed her talent of great player. "Now that the EPT season is finished, I finally can have a look at WSOP programs. Of course, I will inscribe again for the main event, after my deep run of the last year and do some other tournaments more modest", she said.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Mike Matusow: Publication of a self-biography about his prize list

The one of the best poker live player on the world circuit, Mike Matusow has just come to publish his self-biography. In the book entitled "Check-Raising the Devil", this player holder of three WSOP bracelets and having already earn $7 millions at tournament reviews his life, his successes, his failures but also his moments in which he nearly became crazy. "I suppose that if only things were little bit different, I would't be on the way to write this book", Matusow starts at the book's heading. Despite his success, consummation of drugs and its traffic nearly destroyed this man qualified as quarrelsome player at tournament. However, in this book, he unveils his vulnerability and his shyness.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Grand Prix de Paris 2009: Victory of the Italian, Fabrizio Rizzi

The Italian Fabrizio Rizzi, poker player who was qualified through live satellite at the Grand Prix de Paris 2009, realised a feat. He was essential facing the 138 players of this 10,000 Euro tournament setting up by "Aviation-Club de France". This Grand Prix is a habitual poker events inside the traditional appointment "Rendez-Vous à Paris". As a winner of the final table with 6 players which took place on Sunday 17th of May 2009, Rizzi won at the same time the 419,520 Euro first prize. However, the French hope to bring back home the trophy was great with qualification of 5 players from Hexagon at this finale. But this tournament was also a noteworthy discovery moment of Vikash Dhorasso's talent in poker, the ancient international player of France team of football. He took the 3rd position at this tournament with 78,660 Euro of gain.

Friday, 22 May 2009

Casino Barrière : 12% decrease of its turnover since January

The financial crisis and the world economic recession still hit even French game business. Apart from American groups like Harrah's Entertainment which is really affected by the decrease of turnover of their casino room, the French group Casino Barrière announces also the impact that they endure because of this crisis. After a fall of 15% of their activity in 2008, since the beginning of this year until now, this first French casino in terms of gambling's global revenues conjures up decline of its turnover of 12%, according to Dominique Desseigne, its chairman and supervisory board. The total turnover of 1.2 billion Euro fulfilled in 2008 runs again the risk of not being achieved this year. For its part, Partouche group, one of the leaders of this industry in France announced also for the first time a loss of 8.5 million Euro during the 2008 financial year.

Friday, 22 May 2009

NBC: More and more involved in poker

With the audience present everyday in front of television, TV stations are more and more convinced of their capacity to attract online poker players on their web portal. Thanks to this communication support most watched everyday, audiovisual operators seem to be interested overnight to activities in touch with poker. After Eurosport which announced last week the putting up of an online poker website in England and its interest for the French market wich opening is in progress, Canal+ which launched into a setting up of a poker tournament, the American station, National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) unveils also its project. If this station already had at its disposal numerous programs talking about poker like "Face the Ace", which have just been launched at the beginning of May, "Poker After dark", "Poker Million" and as well as "Late Night Poker", this game will be present, too, on its web portal.

Thursday, 21 May 2009

Canal + Poker Tour : On May 24th in Cannes

The new poker tournament setting up by the French channel, Canal + will start from this month of May. To make this new appointment entirely French to be considered as an essential event, organizers have the good idea to coincide the first stage of this tournament with the Cannes International Film festival. In this way, Canal + Poker Tour would take place on Sunday 24th of May in the Azur Coast town which receives since last May 13th, this festivity. So, the tournament reckons to take advantage of the presence of cinema great celebrities in its participants' rank. After this first part, four other stages are foreseen this year before the Canal + Poker Tour Great Finale. Like other tournaments, online qualifications are set up. In all, 18 players will give oneself up to battle at every stage, 6 of them are professional players, 6 amateur and 6 players qualified on online satellite.

Thursday, 21 May 2009

Isaac Baron : A young prodigy to be watched over at WSOP

Few days before the beginning of the World Series of Poker, forecasts are going well concerning the probable winner's identity for WSOP 2009 edition. Isaac Baron, known under the pseudonym "westmentloAA" aged 21 years old only, who will participate for the first time in WSOP this year after having failed the edition 2008, for want of reaching the required age for the tournament, will be a player to be watched over. After having uncovered poker in 2003, during the first WSOP live broadcast, Baron had already won numerous qualifications since that time. At World Poker Tour and at European Poker Tour, this player from Menlo Park, in California (the cause of his pseudo) already accumulated $1.1 millions of gains. And this year, his main target is to add a first WSOP bracelet to his prize list.

Wednesday, 20 May 2009

iPoker : A new online poker magazine sold in stall

Facing players and simple amateurs' infatuation with online poker, Enrico Coggliola, a firm based in Italy, decided to publish since the end of last April a new magazine dedicated to online poker : iPoker. This publication is written under Benoist Fechner direction, the magazine editor. This publication is entirely self-contained because it is not the translation of any other magazine. As a difference, iPoker is published under pocket size, what allows readers to bring it everywhere without difficulty, what distinguishes it of other publications on poker. Published in French, the magazine talks only about online poker and tournaments to be played in, live party already seen in numerous publications of the same kind are entirely forsaken.

Wednesday, 20 May 2009

H.O.R.S.E Poker

H.O.R.S.E. is a form of poker commonly played at the high stakes tables of casinos. H.O.R.S.E. is a collection of limit poker varieties.

Tuesday, 19 May 2009

Patrick Le Lay: A branch of Eurosport channel to conquer online games

With La Française des Jeux which gets ready for the online poker market in the way to the liberalization, Patrick Bruel which enter into partnership with Meetic for buying back the same kind of gamble portal, webstite like Poker 770, Casino Riva which comes through the French market, TF1’s former chairman and managing director, Patrick Le Lay conjures up his interest for online games. « In France, there’s a place only for four or five big operators and we wish to be one of », he declared during an interview granted to French newspaper Le Figaro. The Eurosport TV station, a TF1 branch, launched on last April its site of poker and online gamble in England. Behind TF1 initiative, Bouygues group and François Pinault’s holding (PPR, Fnac, Gucci, Printemps…) are supporting it.

Monday, 18 May 2009

Software for online poker : La Française des Jeux turn to CyberArts

With the opening of online games expected on January 1st 2010 in France, La Française des Jeux which hold the monopoly in gamble on the French territory from its creation in 1974 is setting up its strategy for facing it. For his presence on the web, this state enterprise decided to equip itself with efficient and modern software. So, it has recourse to CyberArts, an American company in San Fransisco, leader and world specialist on software development and online games website building. Even if the French online gambles will be open only on the beginning of 2010, the new site of FDJ, equipped with this software has to be operational before the end of this year by using virtual money.

Monday, 18 May 2009

Online Poker To Blame?

Ask any poker players and they will tell you that poker is definitely not just a game of chance, but of strategy and skill. Still many blame online poker for all the bad notions associated with gambling - going bankrupt, declining social status and the like.

Monday, 18 May 2009

MGM Mirage: $2.5 billions of funds’ raising on market place

Because of the financial crisis which extremely affects physical casino activities and the extent of the competition between websites of online games, the number one among American casinos, MGM Mirage, decided to raise an important fund on market place. After coming near bankruptcy last March, the group decided to increase its working capital and to run back to bonds on Stock Exchange. Last Wednesday, a fund collection amount to $2.5 billions has been done on financial markets. In all, 81 millions ordinary shares were sent out to collect approximately $1 billion which means 13.5% increase of the number of the casino' shares. This announcement leaded into a decrease of 40% of its shares value in stock exchange markets.

Friday, 15 May 2009

Cannes Film Festival: Charitable poker tournament on May 17th.

To take an advantage of the celebrities of cinema during the 62nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which will take place from 13th to 24th, "Wilheim & Karl Maybach" and "Sunflower Children" foundations decided to reproduce the setting up of a charitable poker tournament. In order to collect funds to finance these two associations' activities, the great stars playing poker, businessmen but also, simple enthusiasts of this game are invited to attend this party. The event will take place on May 17th at Cap-Eden-Roc hotel. The realizer and scenario writer Edward Norton, a great poker player known for his numerous films like "The Rounders", one of the famous films talking about poker, will be the main guest of this charitable tournament.

Friday, 15 May 2009

Online Poker Tells

The obvious difference between playing poker in traditional brick-and-mortar casinos and online poker rooms is that players do not sit right across from each other, removing any ability to observe their opponents' tells such as reactions and body language.

Friday, 15 May 2009

Gambling times: Complaint against the poker player Scott Lazar

Even if the film titled « Deal » produced by the professional poker player, Scott Lazar was a catastrophe at the box office, Gambling Times Company which signed a contract with his producer lodges a complaint. Even if GT already paid an amount of $50,000 for the purpose of being visible in « Deal », during the projection in 2008 of this film based on poker and in which Burt Reynolds and Shannon Elizabeth play, any Gambling Times mark appeared in. Nevertheless, this mark had to be highly visible on. So, in its complaint lodged at Los Angeles law-courts, the company is claiming to the producer $1 million of damages.

Thursday, 14 May 2009

French deputy Julien Gray: Denial of his addiction to poker

After the opening of an investigation on french Deputy of Essone, Julien Gray, at the end of 2008, concerning a case of breach of trust and with reference to the rumours running about his addiction to poker, this famous person expresses his opinion. Last December, a search at his house was done because of a suspicion for embezzlement on the associations « SOS-Racisme » and « Fidl »'s account in which he is the godfather. Many cheque issues without justification in his favour have been signed in 2006. Even if he admits his passion for poker, he refrains from not being a compulsive player. "I don’t play exaggerated sum at poker. I play it only with friend, the betting amount is one euro, all gains go to the common pot and we make a party with. It's like this, for years" he explained to get by.

Thursday, 14 May 2009

What You Didn't Know About Draw Poker

Poker has many variations, and some of these are called Draw Poker. In Draw Poker, each player is dealt a complete hand before the first betting round, and then develops the hand for later rounds by replacing, or "drawing", cards.

Thursday, 14 May 2009

Daniel Dodet: Players in live got advantages on gamers accustomed of poker online

Young players acquiring their experiences on online poker websites, who are really aggressive during live party, are remarkable these last years. But for gamers used to play live party, these players have weaknesses. Online players depend essentially on mathematics and agressivity. The importance of being in front or behind in the level of cards is not very important. The reading of hands is less present in them », said Daniel Dodet, a 44 years old belgian. Used to play international tournaments and cash game table in big casinos, Dodet is now accumulating $359,633 of gain and he had already won the 4th position during the final table of the EPT Baden 2006. "The strength of live players, in other words my strength on table, is the read and the odds. It resides in reading my opponents’ hands and the strategy of respect of the financial odds of a hand", he continued.

Thursday, 14 May 2009

WSOP Madness Live: WSOP Battleship during 3 days in Slovenia

From May 13th to17th, the Metropol casino of Portorož, at a seaside resort in Slovenia is setting up a series of tournaments called "WSOP Madness Live". As a feature, this competition which will be held on shores of the Adriatic Sea, will grant for the winner a place for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) which will take place from May 26th to July 15th of 2009 at Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino of Las Vegas, in the United States. Intend for many players, this slovenian tournament is accessible with a buy-in of 150+20 Euro and the main tournament with a buy-in of 1000+100 Euro. During this competition, official satellites for the WSOP 2009 are also organized. For the first, second and third best players of the WSOP Madness in Live, packages for the WSOP of Las Vegas are awarded.

Thursday, 14 May 2009

Play Better Poker

You might ask any poker fanatic and they will tell you that their favoourite game is definitely not just a game of chance, but of strategy and skill.

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Trophy for the best Cardplayer 2009: The Canadian Poorya Nazari at the best position

Four months after the beginning of great international tournaments of poker hold in different towns of the world, organizers can already assess some probable successor of the Canadian player John Phan. Holder of the best Card Player Trophy in 2008, this title will be played again this year. At the end of the fifth season of the European Poker Tournament, the first estimation of the future possessor of this prize is already done. A temporary list of the 10 best players of the year is already available by considering the buy-in, the number of players and the position of each player at each tournament.

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

WPT Enterprises: Decrease of the first quarter deficit compared with 2008

In spite of the notoriety and the affluence of the players at every World Poker Tour edition, its main organizer, the WTP Enterprises (WPTE) noticed losses on their activities. Because of the expenditure too high and the fall of TV tournaments revenues, the enterprises ended again the first three months of the year with a negative result. For its activities done between last January and the end of March, the WPTE has lost $ 521,000. But compared to its result during the same period of last year, which achieved with a balance - $2.3 millions, this deficit declined. Thanks to the placing of a website of poker on line, the enterprise could attract 14,000 subscribers and 1,000 members in a try period, it means 2,000 subscribers moreover compared to those at the end of 2008. These activities carry out 10% of its turnover. If its turnover was $ 5 millions during the first three months last year, it achieved at $5.5 millions during the same period this year.

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Caribbean Poker

Caribbean Poker is a popular casino table game, originating from the Caribbean Isles.

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Online Poker Facts

More and more new online poker sites appear on the web every day. The sheer number of new poker sites popping up regularly are quite high, causing confusion between online poker fans.

Monday, 11 May 2009

Phil 'OMGClayAiken' Galfond : More than $6,97 millions of gain on Internet in 2008

After winning a first WSOP bracelet during the PLO tournament for $ 5,000 Rebuy in Las Vegas last year, Phil Galfond, known by the pseudonym 'OMGClayAiken', had surely defeated the gains' record on all websites of poker on line. Getting more than $ 6,97 millions last year, he is the second biggest winner until now on all websites of poker on Internet, behind Phil Ivey. But this performance is not the result of hazard. This player follows a real training on line every day. "There is no ordinary day for me, just now. I work the entire day on my website if I don't have any competition", Galfond said.

Monday, 11 May 2009

EPT Monte Carlo High Rollers: Vanessa Russo champion.

Among the 78 starting participants at the High Rollers of the European Poker Tour of Monte Carlo, a game of 25,000 Euros buy-in, the player Vanessa Russo was the winner. During the final head's up, she defeated the American player Randy Dorfman to lay hands on the title of winner. However, a panel of talented players was placed around the final table, at the beginning. The first disqualifying was David Steike who took the 8th position. Andrew Feldman was the second to be eliminated when he left his entire stack by following Tony G gambling again for 40000 euros, but he couldn't defeat.

Monday, 11 May 2009

Online Poker Tips

Online Poker Tips: More and more people turn to Online Poker every day and many of them are not aware what online gaming can hold for them. Here are a few useful tips and tricks to get new Online Poker fans going.

Friday, 01 May 2009