Месяц: Сентябрь 2014

In a stunning announcement on Friday, Ultimate Gaming – the force behind both Nevada’s Ultimate Poker and the provider of services in New Jersey through the Trump Entertainment properties – announced that they have terminated their contract due to “multiple contract breaches” with the Trump organization.

Ultimate Gaming issued a press release late yesterday afternoon stating that the contract between the two entities had been terminated by Ultimate and they would immediately leave the New Jersey market. “We are grateful to the state of New Jersey and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) for allowing us to be one of the first companies to bring online gaming to the citizens of New Jersey,” Tom Breitling, the Chairman of Ultimate Gaming, stated in the announcement. “We are working closely with the DGE to ensure a smooth transition for our online gaming customers as we wind down our New Jersey operations.”

The reason for the termination of the contract is in the current doldrums that the Atlantic City casino industry is experiencing. On September 16, one of the two Trump properties on the Boardwalk, the Trump Plaza, closed its doors and the other Trump owned property, the Trump Taj Mahal, is on the cutting block due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings by Trump Entertainment. Even though a Chapter 11 filing doesn’t end a company’s existence, Trump Entertainment has stated that the Taj Mahal may have to also close as soon as November if situations do not improve.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Howard Stutz, the bankruptcy filing by Trump Entertainment reveal how dire the situation is for both the longtime New Jersey casino group and Ultimate Gaming. One of the creditors listed on the bankruptcy report is that of Fertitta Acquisitions Co., the owners of Ultimate Gaming, which is owed $1.5 million by the Trump Taj Mahal. Because of this debt, the owners of Ultimate Gaming (who would see that $1.5 million owed to them disappear under the Chapter 11 filing by Trump Entertainment) took action because of the contract breach.

While the cessation of operations (the company immediately stopped accepting any new deposits following their announcement) in New Jersey, Ultimate Gaming looks to be forging ahead with plans for their Nevada operations. Breitling alluded to this in the New Jersey closure announcement, saying that its Nevada-based Ultimate Poker “would be enhanced” by the end of the year. Those enhancements will include a Mac-based format for players and mobile options.

Although they were in at the start of the game last November in New Jersey, Ultimate Gaming never seemed to find a firm footing. Since the opening of the online gaming industry in New Jersey, the Ultimate Gaming/Trump partnership has only pulled in approximately $5 million through online casino gaming and poker. Contrast that with the two powerhouses in the New Jersey market, the Borgata/partypoker partnership and the Caesars/888 Holdings team, which have pulled in almost $54 million between the two groups.

The move by Ultimate Gaming could also be a harbinger of change in the burgeoning online gaming industry in New Jersey. It is expected within the next few weeks that PokerStars will be granted their online gaming license in the Garden State, which could completely change the playing field. Instead of challenging the recognized #1 operation in the online poker industry. Ultimate Gaming may have decided to cut their losses and retreat to Nevada, where they still enjoy a spirited battle with the Caesars-owned WSOP.com.

As a final note on the closure of Ultimate Gaming in New Jersey, the most powerful argument for regulation of online gaming and poker has become very evident. Those regulations protect any player money that is currently in action on the site. For those that have money on the site and wish to be compensated, players are encouraged to go to either www.ucasino.com or www.ultimatepoker.com for refunds.

As the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” While the online poker industry has been attempting to weather a serious storm over the last few months, one constant still remains: the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). The world’s largest online poker room (smaller, but still the largest) has released the schedule for this year’s WCOOP, the tenth annual running of the internet’s most popular poker series.

The festivities start in just over a month with three tournaments on September 4th: a $215 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max event, the $10,300 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller event, and a standard $215 No-Limit Hold’em event. Like last year, there will be 62 events in total, spread across three weeks. As always, PokerStars will guarantee a minimum prize pool for each event, though because U.S. players are no longer in the fold, the guarantees are lower than in 2010. Last year, there total guaranteed prize pool was $50 million, whereas this year it is “only” $30 million.

As one would expect, most of the tournaments feature No-Limit Hold’em, but there is something for everyone, as varieties of Stud, Omaha, Draw, mixed games, and even Badugi, can be found on the schedule. There are three High Roller events, both with $10,300 buy-ins: the aforementioned No-Limit Hold’em tourney on opening day, a Heads-Up event, and an 8-game tournament. The 2011 WCOOP culminates on September 25th with the $5,200 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event.

Last year’s Main Event fielded 2,443 entrants, creating a $12,215,000 prize pool. Winning the title was “POTTERPOKER,” who became $2,278,097 richer. Across the entire 2010 WCOOP, the total combined prize pools hit $63,157,150.

Of course, with the lowest buy-in being $109, the WCOOP is likely too rich for many players, so PokerStars is running qualifiers around the clock so that people can satellite in on the cheap. Satellites start from as little as just one dollar or 100 FPP. Steps Sit-and-Go’s are also available. PokerStars has a WCOOP Live Satellites Feed on its website so that players can quickly spot upcoming qualifiers for various WCOOP tournaments. Clicking on a tournament will launch the PokerStars software, allowing players to register immediately.

There is also a WCOOP Player of the Series Tournament Leader Board, in which players are ranked based on their finishes in WCOOP events. Points are awarded to every player who cashes in any tournament, with point variations determined by the size of the tables and the type of tournament (standard, shootout, six-handed shootout, or heads-up). The player who finishes atop the leader board will receive a Champion’s Trophy, a European Poker Tour Season 8 Grand Final Package, a 2012 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) Main Event Ticket, a 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure package, and a special edition chip set.

The complete 2011 WCOOP schedule is as follows:

Event 1 - Sept 4 10:00 – $215 NL Hold’em [6-Max] – $1,000,000 Guaranteed
Event 2 - Sept 4 12:00 – $10,300 NL Hold’em [High Roller] – $1,250,000 Guaranteed
Event 3 - Sept 4 14:00 – $215 NL Hold’em – $1,250,000 Guaranteed
Event 4 - Sept 5 11:00 – $320 PL Omaha – $300,000 Guaranteed
Event 5 - Sept 5 14:00 – $320 NL Hold’em [6-Max, Shootout] – $175,000
Guaranteed

Event 6 - Sept 5 17:00 – $215+R NL Hold’em [Turbo] – $500,000 Guaranteed
Event 7 - Sept 6 11:00 – $215 PL Draw – $75,000 Guaranteed
Event 8 - Sept 6 14:00 – $215 Triple Stud – $50,000 Guaranteed
Event 9 - Sept 6 17:00 – $1,050 NL Hold’em – $600,000 Guaranteed
Event 10 – Sept 7 06:00 – $265 PL Omaha [Knockout] – $225,000 Guaranteed
Event 11 – Sept 7 11:00 – $320 NL Hold’em [Ante Up] – $300,000 Guaranteed
Event 12 – Sept 7 14:00 – $215 NL Hold’em [Heads-Up] – $225,000 Guaranteed
Event 13 – Sept 8 06:00 – $215 PL Omaha H/L [6-Max, 1R1A] – $125,000 Guaranteed
Event 14 – Sept 8 11:00 – $265 NL Hold’em [6-Max, Knockout] – $500,000 Guaranteed
Event 15 – Sept 8 14:00 – $215 Razz – $125,000 Guaranteed
Event 16 – Sept 9 11:00 – $215 PL Omaha [6-Max] – $250,000 Guaranteed
Event 17 – Sept 9 14:00 – $215 NL Single Draw 2-7 – $25,000 Guaranteed
Event 18 – Sept 9 17:00 – $320 NL Hold’em [10-Min Levels] – $350,000 Guaranteed
Event 19 – Sept 10 10:00 – $109 NL Hold’em – $800,000 Guaranteed
Event 20 – Sept 10 14:00 – $215 FL Hold’em – $100,000 Guaranteed
Event 21 – Sept 11 10:00 – $215 NL Hold’em – $1,250,000 Guaranteed
Event 22 – Sept 11 14:00 – $530 NL Hold’em – $1,500,000 Guaranteed
Event 23 – Sept 12 11:00 – $215 NL Hold’em [4-Max] – $500,000 Guaranteed
Event 24 – Sept 12 14:00 – $320 Stud – $50,000 Guaranteed
Event 25 – Sept 12 17:00 – $215 PL Omaha [Turbo, 1R1A] – $225,000 Guaranteed
Event 26 – Sept 13 11:00 – $320 Mixed Hold’em [6-Max] – $225,000 Guaranteed
Event 27 – Sept 13 14:00 – $320 FL Badugi – $50,000 Guaranteed
Event 28 – Sept 13 17:00 – $1,050 NL Hold’em – $600,000 Guaranteed
Event 29 – Sept 14 06:00 – $265 NL Omaha H/L [6-Max, Knockout] – $100,000 Guaranteed
Event 30 – Sept 14 11:00 – $530 NL Hold’em [10-Max, Triple Shootout] – $275,000 Guaranteed
Event 31 – Sept 14 14:00 – $320 8-Game – $100,000 Guaranteed
Event 32 – Sept 15 06:00 – $320 NL Hold’em [6-Max] – $350,000 Guaranteed
Event 33 – Sept 15 11:00 – $320 PL Omaha [6-Max, 1R1A] – $300,000 Guaranteed
Event 34 – Sept 15 14:00 – $320 Triple Draw 2-7 – $50,000 Guaranteed
Event 35 – Sept 16 11:00 – $215+R NL Hold’em – $550,000 Guaranteed
Event 36 – Sept 16 14:00 – $530 FL Omaha H/L – $175,000 Guaranteed
Event 37 – Sept 16 17:00 – $109 8-Game [10-Min Rounds] – $50,000 Guaranteed
Event 38 – Sept 17 10:00 – $530 NL Hold’em [Heads-Up] – $350,000 Guaranteed
Event 39 – Sept 17 14:00 – $320 HORSE – $125,000 Guaranteed
Event 40 – Sept 18 10:00 – $215 NL Hold’em – $1,000,000 Guaranteed
Event 41 – Sept 18 12:00 – $10,300 NL Hold’em [High-Roller Heads-Up] – $150,000 Guaranteed
Event 42 – Sept 18 14:00 – $1,050 NL Hold’em – $1,500,000 Guaranteed
Event 43 – Sept 19 11:00 – $320+R PL Omaha [6-Max] – $350,000 Guaranteed
Event 44 – Sept 19 14:00 – $320 NL Hold’em [2X Chance] – $400,000 Guaranteed
Event 45 – Sept 19 17:00 – $265 NL Hold’em [Turbo, Knockout] – $400,000 Guaranteed
Event 46 – Sept 20 11:00 – $320 Mixed PL Hold’em/Omaha – $225,000 Guaranteed
Event 47 – Sept 20 14:00 – $530 Stud H/L – $50,000 Guaranteed
Event 48 – Sept 20 17:00 – $1,050 NL Hold’em – $600,000 Guaranteed
Event 49 – Sept 21 06:00 – $215 NL Hold’em [1R1A] – $400,000 Guaranteed
Event 50 – Sept 21 11:00 – $215 NL Hold’em [Big Antes] – $350,000 Guaranteed
Event 51 – Sept 21 14:00 – $320 PL Omaha H/L – $175,000 Guaranteed
Event 52 – Sept 22 06:00 – $320 NL Hold’em – $400,000 Guaranteed
Event 53 – Sept 22 11:00 – $530+R NL Hold’em – $600,000 Guaranteed
Event 54 – Sept 22 14:00 – $2,100 PL Omaha [6-Max] – $450,000 Guaranteed
Event 55 – Sept 23 11:00 – $530 NL Hold’em [1R1A] – $600,000 Guaranteed
Event 56 – Sept 23 14:00 – $1,050 FL Hold’em [6-Max] – $150,000 Guaranteed
Event 57 – Sept 23 17:00 – $215 NL Omaha H/L [10-Min Levels] – $75,000 Guaranteed
Event 58 – Sept 24 10:00 – $530 PL Omaha [Heads-Up] – $125,000 Guaranteed
Event 59 – Sept 24 14:00 – $2,100 HORSE – $200,000 Guaranteed
Event 60 – Sept 25 10:00 – $215 NL Hold’em – $1,250,000 Guaranteed
Event 61 – Sept 25 12:00 – $10,300 8-Game [High Roller] – $500,000 Guaranteed
Event 62 – Sept 25 14:00 – $5,200 NL Hold’em Main Event (20% 1st Place Gtd) – $5,000,000 Guaranteed

When I did my very first Where Are They Now article back in 2011, I caught up with 2007 World Series of Poker finalist Philip Hilm, who if you recall blew the chip lead to finish in ninth place while Jerry Yang went on to capture the title. Since then I have provided updates of other 2007 WSOP finalists such as third-place finisher Raymond Rahme, fifth-place finisher John Kalmar, and seventh-place finisher Lee Childs; however, one man I’ve never been able to track down was that year’s runner-up, Tuan Lam.

Since finishing second to Yang for $4,840,981 in 2007, Lam has disappeared from the poker world; in fact, that seven-figure score remains his last documented tournament cash. I’ve tried to contact Lam in the past, but all of my efforts failed. He doesn’t use Twitter, he’s not active on Facebook, and no one in the poker world seemed to know what became of the Canadian. It was a mystery. In fact, there is a TwoPlusTwo thread devoted to Lam titled Where is Tuan Lam?

“I happened to be seated at the dining counter in Bellagio's Noodles Saturday about 6 p.m. and Tuan was seated next to me,” user “M8Ludi” posted on July 7. “He is a very nice person and our conversation went on for quite awhile before it became apparent that he was the man who came in second to Jerry Yang in 2007. He is a gentleman, not a diva. You cannot say that about most of the American douche bags who get more than their fair share of boobtube face time.”

For the better part of seven years, Tuan had vanished, but suddenly there was a sighting during the 2014 WSOP Main Event. Sure enough, that same day, Day 1c of the tournament, my colleague Mo Nuwwarah spotted Lam in the field. I cautiously approached Lam and asked if he’d be willing to speak with me at the end of Level 2. He was a little surprised someone recognized him, but he hesitantly agreed.

“I play cash games at Bellagio with my friends,” Lam explained when I mentioned that someone had seen him there. “I want to hang out with my friends. We talk and this and that. I relax a little bit.”

The conversation spun from there, and when asked where he’s been since breaking through in 2007, Lam divulged that his time and efforts have been focused elsewhere.

“I was busy in Vietnam, and I didn’t feel well physically," he said. "Even this event, I don’t feel well either. I don’t know why, it’s sort of frustrating sometimes. I go back and forth to Vietnam. Sometimes I can’t stand the snow. It’s too cold for me and my health is bad. I was not in good shape.”

Lam declined to elaborate on his health issues, but he revealed that his trips to Vietnam were charity based.

“I do a lot of charity work," Lam continued. "I’ve been giving people rice and donating money to the poor people. I go around and help people, that’s what I wanted to do. I feel good when I do that. I was busy with all the paperwork needed to go to Vietnam. It took me years to do that. I got frustrated, but I said I’ve got to do it, I promised, so I didn't give up.”

After that, Lam was also more than willing to reminisce his run in 2007.

“I remember that year, when I came to Vegas, it was my second time,” Lam said. “I was up about $40,000 playing cash games. One day I lost it playing big limits — I lost it all back and I was down after that. So I said to myself, 'I need to do it, I need to do something on that trip,' and I did it. I was very dazed, but no matter what people say, I kept myself calm.”

So what did Lam do with the $4,840,981 payday? He didn’t buy a car, nor a house, but he does admit he’s given a little back playing online. “I’ve given back some money online. Sometimes it was boring at home, and when I went to Vietnam I sometimes stayed home and got lonely, so I played online and gave some back. I don’t do that anymore. I don’t like taking risks. I've kind of settled down a little bit.”

Even after losing some online and giving more to charity, Lam has saved enough to live a content life. “I feel very comfortable with the money, with my life, stuff like that," he said. "My life was changed after that.”

As the 20-minute break came to a close, Lam’s attention turned back to the Main Event, the first and only tournament he played at the 2014 WSOP.

“At the beginning, I was doing very well," Lam said as he launched into what was akin to a bad beat story. "I was in a good mood, but somehow I threw a card away and it went down the table and jumped off. The way the dealer acted made me feel very bad about it, and now many of my chips are gone because the dealer got me upset. He said, 'Floor, come over,' but everyone at the table knew it was a mistake, and he knew it too, so I don’t know why he tried to piss me off so much. Since then, my chips are gone. I don’t even care, I want to go home.”

Lam, who hasn’t spoken to anyone from the 2007 WSOP final table in the years that have passed, didn’t appear to have the passion he once had for the game. He seemed genuinely upset by the aforementioned situation with the dealer, and there was no doubt he wanted to be anywhere else than at the poker table.

Not surprisingly, Lam busted a short time later in Level 3 at the hands of Filipp Khavin. According to our PokerNews report, action started when someone opened for 800, Lam called, and Khavin three-bet to 3,600 from the small blind. The initial raiser folded and Lam called. The flop brought out {J-Spades}{10-}{2-Spades} and Khavin bet 3,000 after which Lam moved all in for 7,000. Khavin called and the following showdown went like this:

Khavin: {A-Spades}{A-}
Lam: {10-Spades}{9-Spades}

The turn was the {8-Spades} giving Lam a flush, but the river was the {4-Spades} giving Khavin a bigger flush to knock Lam out.

Where Lam goes from here is anyone’s guess, but chances are he’ll slip back into poker obscurity, which is just where he wants to be.

Relive Lam's finish in the 2007 WSOP in the video below:

After being reportedly close to reaching a deal on Thursday, the Amaya Gaming Group Inc. and the parent company of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, Rational Group, announced a deal on Thursday that could ultimately pave the way for the two online poker rooms to return to the U.S.

Amaya and privately-held Oldford Group Limited (the parent company of Rational Group) struck a definitive deal in which entitles Amaya to all issued and outstanding shares of Oldford Group for an aggregate purchase price of $4.9 billion, meaning PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker have been sold to Amaya in an unprecedented acquisition within the world of online gaming.

According to a press release issued by PokerStars on Thursday, "Amaya believes the transaction will expedite the entry of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker into regulated markets in which Amaya already holds a footprint, particularly the U.S. Additionally, Amaya will provide an extensive selection of its online casino games to expand the Full Tilt Poker casino platform. Amaya intends to strongly support Rational Group’s growth initiatives in new gaming verticals, including casino, sportsbook, and social gaming, and new geographies."

"This is encouraging news for millions of American players who have anxiously awaited the return of PokerStars to the U.S.,” said John Pappas, executive director of the PPA. “Amaya’s acquisition should remove any perceived impediment for this popular brand to once again be available to players in regulated U.S. jurisdictions. This is a positive development for poker enthusiasts and the potential return of the PokerStars brand will grow our game. For years, PokerStars has been a trusted and preferred online poker provider within the player community with more than 90 percent of PPA members indicating they want the opportunity to play on a PokerStars site or platform.”

Poker players around the world will be glad to know that, according to the press release, "Rational Group’s executive management team will be retained and online poker services provided by PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker will be unaffected by the Transaction, with players continuing to enjoy uninterrupted access to their gaming experience."

With the transaction, Amaya will become the world’s largest publicly-traded online gaming company.

“This is a transformative acquisition for Amaya, strengthening our core B2B operations with a consumer online powerhouse that creates a scalable global platform for growth,” said David Baazov, CEO of Amaya. “Mark Scheinberg pioneered the online poker industry, building a remarkable business and earning the trust of millions of poker players by delivering the industry’s best game experiences, customer service and online security. Working with the experienced executive team at Rational Group, Amaya will continue that tradition of excellence and accelerate growth into new markets and verticals.”

Rational Group Founder and CEO Mark Scheinberg added, “I am incredibly proud of the business Isai and I have built over the last 14 years, creating the world’s biggest poker company and a leader in the iGaming space. Our achievements and this transaction are an affirmation of the hard work, expertise and dedication of our staff, which I am confident will continue to drive the company’s success. The values and integrity which have shaped this company are deeply ingrained in its DNA. David Baazov has a strong vision for the future of the Rational Group which will lead the company to new heights.”

Readers who wish to learn more about this momentous occasion within the world of online poker, including information on all of the transaction details, can read the full press release here.

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player’s results over six half-year periods. The GPI also ranks the top performers of the year over two six-month periods as calculated by the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.

2014 GPI Player of the Year
Rank Player GPI Score Change
1 Dan Smith 1249.44 -
2 Mustapha Kanit 1158.69 -
3 Scott Seiver 1137.09 -
4 Daniel Colman 1119.55 -
5 Jason Mercier 1099.02 -
6 Keven Stammen 1092.79 -
7 Alex Bilokur 1071.07 -
8 Jacob Schindler 1056.67 -
9 Ole Schemion 1009.57 -
10 Ami Barer 1003.51 -
It was the quietest of weeks for the top 10 of the 2014 GPI Player of the Year race with none of those in the top spots accumulating any points and thus no movement at all at the top. Dan Smith continues to hold onto the top spot as he attempts to earn a second GPI POY title in three years.

There was a lot activity just below the top 10, however, with Oliver Price leaping all of the way from No. 35 to No. 11 this week after picking up three cashes during the partypoker WPT Merit Classic North Cyprus series, including a third-place finish in the $10,500 High Roller event and an 11th in the $4,400 Main Event won by Alexander Lakhov.

Also of note, Anatoly Filatov moved all of the way from from No. 67 to No. 16 this week after winning the High Roller in Cyprus, one of four cashes the Russian earned during the series.

The Betting Corner is your one-stop shop to discover what's hot in sports betting and grab some useful betting tips from our friends at BookieSmash, iBus Media Network's newest online portal dedicated to sports betting.

This week we look at some of Europe's most interesting football matches, and we give you some precious tips to get the most out of the weekend.

Window Shopping
We've taken a look at one of the most exciting transfer windows in years, and come up with the five deals that might just revive players' careers.

Fernando Torres features here — and we're all watching how he will do at Milan now that he will be under less pressure than at Chelsea, but there are other players to watch.

One of those is Manchester City striker John Guidetti. Find out how the Swede almost had his career ended by a chicken leg, but has recovered to lead the line on loan with Celtic.

Check out the others we have picked out, in our career revival top five.

Premier League Hots Up
With Arsenal and Manchester City clashing at the weekend, and Manchester United trying to get their first win against QPR, the Premier League has its fair share of big games this weekend.

Bookiesmash has gathered the best betting tips from the most exciting match-ups, and we're also previewing the kind of action you can expect to see around the grounds in England.

Make sure you check out our preview of Manchester City vs. Arsenal before you choose your bet.

A Real Comeback in Spain?
Real Madrid suffered embarrassing defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad last time out; we look at the reasons why the European champions look more vulnerable this season, and why it might not be such a clear-cut thing to bet on the boys in white cleaning up every weekend.

Barcelona may be starting slow, but they have a 100% record in La Liga so far, and look to have improved their defense while covering for the absence of Lionel Messi through injury.

Arguably, though, it's Atletico Madrid who have been most impressive in the opening matches in Spain. When Radamel Falcao left the club, everyone thought he was irreplaceable, but Diego Costa proved that idea wrong.

Now it looks like Mario Mandzukic and Alessio Cerci might be the hot new partnership to take half of Madrid by storm.

Our La Liga preview contains the best bets - including a tasty 25/1 at time of going to press with Betfair on Athletic Bilbao stealing a 2-1 win against Barca.

Let's Get Serie A
Italian football is fascinating whoever is playing, but there are some fascinating changes taking place at all the top Serie A teams this season.

While Torres and co. look to revive Milan, Juventus go from strength to strength. Paul Pogba gets better all the time, and with Manchester United missing out on Arturo Vidal, the Chilean is on rampant form.

We've got the preview of their upcoming match against Udinese, where it's 16/5 with bwin and William Hill if Juve win from being level at half time.

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