The poker talk this week is centering on just one thing – is ‘Isildur1’ talented or just a chancer at poker? Only just a few weeks ago Isildur1 seemed to be a veritable online poker enigma – taking top professional players for millions and yet managing to remain the mystery player of the moment at the online poker tables.

Hero to zero

Can she tell who Isildur1 is?

His, or indeed her, recent roll began with the epic against Patrik Antonius, when a then record online pot actually went to Antonius for nearly $900,000, but in making the play to create that pot Isildur1 seemed quite happy to show themselves as a brave player, if not just a chancer. Further games saw Isildur1 work up winning pots of $1.6 million and then, quite recently, taking a very cool $5 million off Tom Dwan of all people. With that sort of ability to win cash thoughts of Isildur1 being a chancer seemed to be being overtaken by thoughts that he or she is actually quite a talented poker player after all. Then, in the last month the fairy tale seems to be ending as Isildur1 has eaten through near on $8 million – surely unsustainable for anyone other that an Arabic sheik or one of the new Russian oligarchs? So, the thoughts that Isildur1 is just a chancer return.

How should you play?

We’re not all in the same league as the players, or indeed the money, mentioned above – but is there room in the sort of poker games you play to be a chancer or should you concentrate on developing your poker playing talent? There is, of course, no single answer to that question. The most important thing to remember though is – never bet/play for more money than you can afford to lose, it doesn’t matter if it’s a $20 or a $200 game, when you can’t afford it – stop! Secondly, your personality will play a part in your style of play. Which basically means you’ll either take risks (be a chancer) or not. Taking risks is fine – providing you can afford to lose. Finally, do you really want to progress as a poker player – or just make the occasional ‘flashy’ win? If you truly want to develop some talent as a poker player, whether at a casino table or multiple online poker tables – then be patient and don’t be a chancer.

Published this week is the list of candidates to be added to the Poker Hall of Fame in 2009. Based at the famous Horseshoe Casino, in Las Vegas, the Poker Hall of Fame is in its thirtieth year, not bad going for something devised by the casino’s owner, Benny Binion, as a way of attracting yet more punters to his casino. Despite the fact that it’s been going for 30 years, gaining entry to the Poker Hall of Fame is no push-over with only 37 poker luminaries inducted into it, unlike say the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame.

The 2009 short-list

Mike Sexton in poker commentating mode.

Nominations for induction in 2009 closed last Friday and include top poker players like Daniel Negreanu, runner up at last weeks WSOPE Main Event, Scotty Nguyen and Phil Ivey. The person eventually honored with induction will be decided by a panel of 30 experts made up of journalists and past inductees like Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Branson. Top tip to win this years’ nominations is Mike Sexton, who is probably better known for being one of the voices of poker as an announcer on the World Poker Tour, has actually accrued $3.8 million in career winnings along with the 2006 WSOP Tournament of Champions and a bracelet. Not bad for a former professional ballroom dancer – I wonder if he fancies his chances on ‘Dancing with the stars’ too? Mike is 4:1 with Barry Stein his nearest rival at 8:1. Perhaps quite surprisingly Daniel Negreanu is out at 25:1, although there has been much discussion as to whether he is actually past his best now?

James Bond in the Poker Hall of Fame

It may seem strange but ex-Bond actor Roger Moore was inducted to the Poker Hall of Fame in 1997. Not a bad accolade for someone whose career earnings are below $500,000. He did, however, win a bracelet in a $5000 WSOP Limit 7 card stud in 1994, not to mention helping to portray poker in his usual suave manner on-screen. Not being a top poker player is therefore no bar to entry to the Hall of Fame. Another unusual addition was the 2008 inductee, Henry Orenstein. Although not an unsuccessful player he was no professional. He did however make an enduring contribution to broadening the appeal of poker and expanding TV poker audiences through his invention of the ‘hole cam‘; allowing the hole cards to be seen in play.

The WSOPE reached the six day Main Event stage in London, UK, last weekend. Seated at the tables who, along with the usual professional and top ‘celebrity’ players included a few who had qualified via online poker satellites. One particularly interesting inclusion in the professional’s field was ten times WSOP bracelet winner and poker legend, 76 year old Doyle Brunson.

Before the final day

UK celebrity poker player and favorite - Vicky Coren.

Perhaps the most significant early casualty was Phil Ivey who, with all the chips in the middle went out with a straight when Erik Friberg laid out a flush. Showing early promise was UK celebrity and favorite Vicky Coren (2006 EPT winner), but being short-stacked wouldn’t be around for much longer. Another UK celebrity Teddy Sheringham (runner-up in an ‘Ante Up for Africa’ pro-celebrity tournament in back in April) was also going well, finally going out in a very respectable 14^th position on the penultimate day. Having not featured strongly before, Doyle Brunson also started to show his class finishing well up leader-board, but also not making it to the final day ruining his hopes of an 11^th bracelet. Matt Hawrilenko played strongly from day 3 onwards and looked set for a big win going into the final day, along with Barry Shulman and the ever present in the leading pack – Daniel Negreanu.

Barry Shulman - $1.25m winner at the Main Event WSOPE 2009.

The WSOPE Main Event Final Day

At the final table of 9 professionals, a £10,000 (about $16,000) No Limit Hold ‘em game, six of them already had at least one bracelet, but it was Jason Mercier with the biggest stack that they all had to beat. In the end the 1^st prize of £801k ($1.25m) and his second bracelet went to Barry Shulman, defeating Daniel Negreanu with three of a kind, three 10s, from the flop in the final.

I hope Scot Ian's cards are as good as his rock chick!

 Scott Ian , the renowned guitarist with Anthrax, is repeating last year’s success with another performance in 2009. Only it won’t be on an arena stage or in a rock club – but in the online poker website – UltimateBet. Scheduled for August 19^th, Scott Ian’s Home Game online poker tournament is bound to be a draw for fans of poker, rock music and Anthrax in particular.

Competing in Scott Ian’s Home Game

In the Home Game you’ll be in an 18 seat “Sit-n-Go” Texas Hold ‘em; and the best way to compete for one of the 11 seats on offer will be by playing in the qualifying Daily Satellites available up until August 15^th. Winners of these are paid out with an entry to the Main Event on August 18^th which in turn pays out 10 seats to the Scott Ian Home Game. Also, on August 19^th five hours ahead of the Home game starting at 21:00, there’ll be an invitation only online poker Freeroll for UltimateBet VIP poker players. Should you finish in the top 5 of the Home Game then you’ll be in line for a top prize of $8,500 and a trip to the Aruba Poker Classic in the Caribbean.

Celebrities playing in the Scott Ian Home Game

The legend that is Kirk Hammet. He's got the guitar chops - but can he play those poker chips?

 Being an UltimateBet online poker tournament two seats will be taken by professionals Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth. The other five celebrities are from the world of rock, being: Jerry Cantrell, Vinnie Paul, Greg Tribbet, the guitar legend that is Kirk Hammet and the man himself – Scott Ian. Whether you’re drawn to this poker tournament by the rock stars, the poker or both – you can chat online to the players during the Home Game; so there’s an opportunity to personally connect with these giants of poker and rock. But please don’t start in with comments about “The ace of spades” (Motorhead) or “Deuces are wild” (Aerosmith) or “Chase the ace” (AC/DC) etc – I’m sure they’ve heard them all before!

A poker success story.

40 year old Richard Hemmington who lives on the outskirts of London was, just a few months ago, your regular-guy with a nine-to-five job in IT Sales. When in February he was made redundant as the company he worked for struggled in the recession, Richard took what he knew would be a once in a life-time opportunity; to quit the corporate life and test himself out on the professional poker circuits. Whilst his previous job in IT sales was well paid even he has been surprised by his ability to win, or earn if you prefer, good money as a professional poker player; winning almost $200,000 in just the last three months.

Nearly the winner in Manila.

Neil Acre was the eventaul winner of the 2009 ATP Manila tournament.

Richard has only been playing poker seriously for about 5 years, having started playing online poker his enjoyment from that led him to also try side-games and, with what sounds like typical British reserve, says he “seemed to have a flair for it”.  Having done well out in the Philippines for the APT Manila Tournament he has, since February, been working hard to improve his professional game. His next tournament is the Seefeld Poker Masters to be held in Austria this month, June 2009, after beating many other players through the qualifying matches. He will be sponsored by one of the online poker sites for $5000 at this tournament and could win another $200,000 outright in one go; just like Neil Acre the eventual winner in Manila. Should Richard win in Austria then he must surely be setting his sights on one of the summer poker tournaments in either New York or Las Vegas.

Scotty Nguyen taking in a Poker game

Scotty Nguyen’s in the news this week – but not just because of his third place in the most recent Five Star World Classic series in Las Vegas. Talking about his win in the H.O.R.S.E event at the LA Poker Classic, Scotty announced that one of his tactics was to be “smooth talking, getting people to lay down their hands or call me when I want them to call me.”

Being over-chatty – not a good idea for the amateur.

Now I’m not too sure from the article whether he was just talking about being chatty, almost to the point of show-boating, when the TV crews are recording an event or if he was talking about poker games more generally. But, I’m definitely not so sure that it’s a tactic he ought to rely too heavily on; and it’s certainly not a piece of advice that amateur/fun poker players should adopt. Whilst it is one thing being sociable at the poker table; and no one wants to play with folk that are literally ‘poker faced’ all the time, but being over-talkative is a sure-fired way of letting your opponents spot the inevitable ‘tells’ that will occur with this strategy.

The etiquette of talking too much.

In a professional game the standards of poker etiquette are always of the very highest and I’ve yet to see anyone in a pro’ game tell someone to quiet down – but in most non-pro games, I rather think anyone constantly making remarks or chattering away during a game would – well lets say – be invited to shut up. Having a chat with other players is fine – just save it for during the breaks, unless you all know each other really well.

Scotty in the rankings.

Perhaps Scotty ought to reconsider his philosophy on this one too. As a professional he’s currently ranked 148^th, despite having winnings so far this year of $350,000+, largely due to having only amassed 712 points. Enjoying what you’re doing is of course important – but then so too is being the best at it! Who knows Scotty – a little less chat and entertaining the crowds and that first $1 million poker win could be just around the corner?

Talking in a poker game is not always a good idea!