Week 6 of the 2010 WSOP and the countdown to the final of the Main Event game, a $10,000 buy-in No Limit Hold ‘em tournament, has begun. As in other recent years the actual champion won’t be known until November as, once again, that is when the final table of 9 poker players will reconvene to battle it out for the most prestigious of all poker titles.

WSOP national results so far

So, with just one game left what can be said about the nations that have produced winners at WSOP 2010?  A question here of course is should we measure this by cashes, totals or bracelets awarded?  Well, for the reason you’ll appreciate soon – we’ll go with gold bracelets awarded. Somewhat unsurprisingly the USA has produced the biggest number of bracelets at 39 winners and some 5000 cashes. Total earnings for USA poker players are over a staggering $81 million. With a surprise in store in second place – it was Canada that was third in the international stakes with 4 bracelets and about 450 cashes totaling over $8 million. The surprise in second place was the United Kingdom, or Britain as we prefer to say, who despite only making around 230 cashes totaling some $7 million – they actually accumulated 5 gold bracelets.

5 gold bracelets – big deal huh!

Sure looks like a British winner to me!

OK, so 5 gold bracelets might seem small fry compared to the number that the USA won but – there is a real significance in this. Quite simply in winning 5 gold bracelets at WSOP 2010 the Brits have set a new record as – never before has a foreign nation won so many gold bracelets at any particular world series before! So, for all the online poker players out there – FTW! The winners were: Praz Banzi, James Dempsey, Richard Ashby, Mike Ellis and Steve Jelinek. Although Praz was the biggest single winner taking home $515k along with his bracelet Steve Jelinek probably produced the best win, for $245k – as he was playing in a $1500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha Hi Low Split 8 or better game. So, being a Hi-Low game both the highest and lowest poker hands can claim a share of the pot – requiring a whole different strategy to the more regular games. As in a regular Omaha poker game looking for the nut flush is always a good bet, but you’ll always be hoping to have an ace in your hand to be confident of pressing for a win.

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.

For many poker players one of the reasons they play the game is for the social interaction they get with, and against, the other players. Indeed for many non-professional poker players, getting dressed up and going out in the evening to a casino has become their favorite way to socialize. However, is it possible to also get that same sense of being sociable in an online poker game?

The poker purists of a few years ago

There can be no doubt that poker purists a few years ago thought that internet poker was the invention of the devil. It would make people slovenly in their approach to the game, it would kill casino poker, casino poker is the only way for a ‘man’ to play poker … etc; I’m sure you’ve heard all the arguments before. However, I believe that the professional poker players, especially in say the last three or four years, have embraced online poker making many other poker players review their stance regarding online poker. So what caused this shift in their, and the majority of poker players, attitudes toward online poker?

Online poker does present socializing opportunities

Who knows who might want to play with you online?

Quite simply, using modern Web 2.0 technologies, online poker websites can provide a social context for players – which in a virtual way is every bit the same as at a casino poker table. You could of course pick any of the excellent online poker websites to play at and, using their chat and interaction functions, quickly start to socialize with other players just as you would when meeting strangers at a casino poker table. However, the best poker sites will also have specific search functions to help you find players you might regularly enjoy playing and socializing with, where you can immediately interact with them – just as if they were in the room with you. Another point worth making here is that online poker may well prove to have been of benefit to casino poker, rather than as was feared causing its downfall. Online satellite tournaments are giving players a taste for the big casino games that they otherwise might never have even dreamed about. Finally, and even better, at this time of year you can enjoy a game of poker from the comfort of your own home – without having to go out in the cold and wet!

If any of you online poker fans fancy winning big this month then, with just a few days to go now, a European poker website, Titan Poker, could be the site to go to. Until the end of the month Titan Poker is running a ‘turbo’ poker tournament totaling $50,000 and this week-end is your last chance to cash-in on the $5000 weekly prize and have a chance of scooping the end of November $10,000 grand prize.

Who can enter?

What is she reaching for? Looks like he’s living the dream!

Live the dream

If you feel you’ve been doing pretty well lately in your regular small poker games and have been dreaming about some serious competition then here’s another reason for playing the Titan Turbo series – the overall top seven places will win seats to the fifth European Championship Of Online Poker, with total prize money of $4.5 million spread over 14 days of play. So, what are you going to do – dream the dream or try living the dream? 

Despite the 2009 WSOP Main Event only having just been completed last week it appears that a ‘night of the long knives’ has erupted over the way it was handled, resulting in the resignation of commissioner Jeffrey Pollock. Describing his departure as “bittersweet” all that Jeffrey would say was that he had “great memories” and appreciated the opportunity to be part of the WSOP.

So why has Jeffrey Pollock left the WSOP?

Since 2005, under Pollock’s direction, WSOP not only expanded in America but also successfully developed a European brand, drawing in even more of the world’s top poker players. However, his resignation, coming just days after what would seem to have been a successful WSOP 2009 Main Even final, is almost certainly a result of WSOP brand owners, Harrah’s, announcement of the formation of Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment to establish a more solid footing in the lucrative online poker business. In forming this new company Harrah’s had already acquired the services of Mitch Gamber, from Party Gaming, as CEO. Although Pollack was the nominal President of the new organisation, there was no real base from which he could drive developments himself. However, a bit more research reveals another possible reason for the sudden departure.

WSOP TV ratings fall

Perhaps Pollock should have spiced up the TV coverage somehow?

Jeffrey Pollock was the instigator behind splitting the WSOP so that, in effect two tournaments took place with the Main Event occurring months after the qualifying; supposedly to increase interest in it. It was also he who agreed with the TV companies to have edited tape-delayed TV poker coverage. Unfortunately, at a time when the new Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment would want to maximize promotional opportunities for the groups feature poker tournament – TV viewing figures actually fell! Although the differences in the numbers concerned from last year to this are only small, if ESPN can only bring in 1.8 million viewers, down 100,000 from 2008, on average for the WSOP – then they’re clearly not bringing any new audiences to the game, that then might go on to play online poker through the new venture.

After waiting months for the 2009 WSOP Main Event to begin in just a few days it was all over and Joe Cada emerged as the 2009 WSOP Main Event winner. Apart from the prestige of winning this event Joe walks away with a winners check for $8.5 million and that all important WSOP winners bracelet – not bad for a player who is only 21 years of age!

The Main Event finals table

Joe Cada on his way to winning the WSOP 2009.

The final two

That left 21 year old Joe Cada and the 46 year old woodsman Darvin Moon to compete for the WSOP title. The final play was hand 364 when Joe Cada went all in to win, Darvin needed a queen or jack on the river, but up came a 7 giving Joe two pairs and the title. So, Joe becomes the youngest ever winner of the WSOP Main Event and, apart from his winnings, can look forward to some lucrative sponsorship and invitations to poker games for years to come.

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.

Good news for anyone living in the Chicago area – WSOP are bringing their advanced poker lessons to Chicago as their Poker Academy takes its first venture around the Great Lakes. August 29^th – 30^th at the Horseshoe Casino will be the place to go for anyone looking to hone their poker skills, picking up tips and advice from top class instructors and international poker stars such as Annie Duke and Matt Graham, who will be accompanied by poker players and authors Bernard Lee and Joe Navarro.

What you can expect at the Poker Academy

I guess that's one way to hide your poker tells.

 Post Oak Productions, the company responsible for running the Academy programs, are promising two days of intensive seminars including live-hand demonstrations from the expert players, a video analysis of a WSOP tournament and, whilst amongst performing other duties, Joe Navarro will be delivering a seminar on his area of expertise – poker tells. The academy is advertised as suitable for all levels of players; however, perhaps absolute novices might benefit from getting a few hands of poker under their belts, so to speak, before attending it. The two days will pretty well be given over to playing Texas Hold ‘em covering issues such as pot-odds, playing position, post-flop strategy, tells, identifying poker player’s styles and, not forgetting of course, how to vary your own game in order to confuse opponents.

Play with the experts

As in previous Academies participants will have the opportunity to compete in private multi-table tournaments, allowing attendees to play poker whilst being observed and picking up the vibes from the experts. If you need more of an incentive to join in the tournaments – the winner will receive an invitation to compete for a $10,000 seat in the 2010 WSOP Main Event via the WSOP Academy Tournament of Champions.

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!

To play in the Masters Poker tournament you’ll pay €2500 (around $3325) per buy-in; but with a freeze-out prize pool estimated at €1 million (around $1.3 million) – it could be well worth the air fare whether you’re arriving from elsewhere in Europe, flying in from America – or indeed anywhere else world-wide.

The Sun Casino - Monte Carlo - venue for the Masters Poker tournament

The play is held at 20 tables with ‘Sit-and-Go” sessions available before the cash games begin at 6pm (CET). This might seem a little early, but play does go on until 2am for those of you that are more ‘night owls’ rather than ‘early birds’ when it comes to playing poker.  Also, the tournament is spread over five days meaning that all players will get the chance to play at least four times; in order to qualify for the finals on the fifth day.

This is the second year that the Sun Casino has hosted the Masters Poker tournament, with this April event being one of a series of three that they run. The second and third tournaments in the series are held in early July and August respectively. Being held in Monte Carlo the Masters Poker tournaments quite rightly bring a top ranked poker event to the very essence of casinos and gambling in Europe – the glamorous principality of Monaco.