Top Ten Poker Surprises of 2011

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It’s the end of the year, so that means it’s list time!  2011 was by far one of the most interesting years in poker history, though it was unfortunately for mostly the wrong reasons.  Today, we’re going to take a look at the year’s top ten surprises in the world of poker.  They weren’t necessarily… Read more »

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Mercier, Seidel Remain Atop ESPN Poker Rankings

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ESPN.com recently unveiled its October poker player rankings, affectionately dubbed “The Nuts.” The top ten list attempts to determine who the best players in the world are at the moment, based on recent accomplishments.  This materially differs from other lists people might make because of the “what have you done for me lately” aspect of… Read more »

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Phil Ivey Falls out of ESPN’s Poker Rankings

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ESPN.com’s monthly ranking of the top ten poker players in the world, called “The Nuts,” has been released and for September, the top five has remained unchanged.  In fact, of the ten players on the list, only one was new, meaning that one player had to drop out. That one player: the incomparable Phil Ivey.… Read more »

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Ten Poker Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

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The World Series of Poker (WSOP) announced the ten nominees for the Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2011 Tuesday after a public nomination process on WSOP.com, followed by a vetting of all nominations by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council. The criteria for Poker Hall of Fame induction, according to the World Series… Read more »

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Behind the Scenes – BOOM

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Many in the poker industry have been buzzing over the recently released trailer to “BOOM” which is being produced by the same group that produced the “From Busto to Robusto” series. As many of you know, I was the first person to be featured in the trailer and appeared alongside legends of the game, discussing our thoughts and personal stories with the industry. Read more »

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Bellagio Robbery Suspect Anthony Carleo to Stand Trial

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The man who stole $1.5 million in chips from Bellagio late last year appeared before a judge on Friday and was informed that he would stand trial on multiple felony counts. Anthony Carleo, dubbed the “Biker Bandit” because he drove a motorcycle up to the famed Las Vegas casino before entering with a handgun and… Read more »

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Zynga Acquires PokerTableRatings Team

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Social gaming giant Zynga made a big purchase to improve its poker brand this week. The company behind popular Facebook apps like Farmville and Mafia Wars acquired the entire 16-member team behind Austin, Texas-based MarketZero, which operated the online poker tracking site PokerTableRatings. Among the major players moving over to Zynga include MarketZero founders Gustavo… Read more »

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Robert Varkonyi Sues Hedge Fund for Fraud

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In an article published by Forbes on Tuesday, it was revealed that 2002 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champ Robert Varkonyi has sued a hedge fund alleging fraud. He’s seeking to recoup his initial $1.4 million investment in a fund ultimately tied to a Ponzi scheme. According to Forbes, Varkonyi “filed the lawsuit… Read more »

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eCOGRA Purchased by Management

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eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) announced on Monday that it has new ownership, as its management purchased the company. The management buyout initiative was led by Chief Executive Andrew Beveridge and was approved by the founding members of the non-profit organization. eCOGRA seeks to improve the security and integrity of online gaming… Read more »

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Dan Cates Featured in New York Times Magazine

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In the latest issue of the New York Times Magazine, an article on the online poker world’s latest wunderkind, Dan “jungleman12” Cates, details his life story. The piece, written by Jay Caspian Kang for the magazine’s “Youth Issue,” follows Cates for nearly a week as he plays online poker. The article starts off by detailing… Read more »

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Professional Gamblers Can Now Fully Deduct Business Expenses

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If you’re a professional gambler, we have news that will get your blood pumping. According to a recent article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and a leading poker tax authority, professional gamblers can now deduct business expenses, even in the event of an overall loss. Now, out of pocket expenses like driving to and from… Read more »

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Darvin Moon Signs with Heartland Poker Tour

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The only member of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine not to sign any sponsorship deal, runner-up Darvin Moon, has recently inked an agreement to become the face of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT). In an announcement by the HPT last week, Moon’s new deal names him as an ambassador for the… Read more »

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Nevada Gaming Revenues Flat in January at $877 Million

Nevada Gaming Revenues Flat in January at $877 Million Thumbnail

In figures reported on Thursday, Nevada casino gaming revenue, or “win,” was flat in January year-over-year according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Statewide, Nevada casinos raked in a total of $877.4 million two months ago, which represented a decrease of 0.67% over the same period one year prior. The good news is that, over… Read more »

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Rio Las Vegas Robbed

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In breaking news from Las Vegas, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, the home of the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP), was robbed at gunpoint for $35,000 early Thursday morning. According to 8 News Now Las Vegas, “Police say the suspect walked into the Rio and began taking chips off of a gaming table.… Read more »

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Bernard Lee Announces Full House Charity Program

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Professional poker player and media personality Bernard Lee has teamed up with Cabot Cheese to create the Full House Charity Program, which will donate a minimum of $20,000 to children’s organizations around New England each year. “The Full House Charity Program was born out of a desire to combine my greatest loves — poker and… Read more »

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Poker Players Sue Bicycle Casino Claiming Bait and Switch

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Ten days ago, a lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California numbered VC057998. The litigation pits poker players Eli Strickland and Edwin Pairavi against the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles over what the Plaintiffs claim is a “classic bait and switch.” The suit surrounds a $200,000 guaranteed poker tournament held… Read more »

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Poker Community Aids in Arrest of Bellagio Thief

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According to news reports, the alleged thief who knocked off the Bellagio in Las Vegas for $1.5 million was apprehended due to the help of the online poker community. Reports on several websites including Yahoo News and SportsInteraction.com detail the activities of the alleged “Bellagio Bandit.” Anthony Michael Carleo, who was arrested on Wednesday morning… Read more »

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Bellagio Robbery Suspect Arrested in Las Vegas

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The man who walked away with $1.5 million after an armed robbery of the Bellagio in Las Vegas was arrested on Wednesday night in Sin City, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. The mystery man is Anthony Michael Carleo, the 29 year old son of Las Vegas Municipal Court Judge George Assad. According to… Read more »

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Poker Book Review: Don’t Listen to Phil Hellmuth by Dusty Schmidt

Poker Book Review: Don’t Listen to Phil Hellmuth by Dusty Schmidt Thumbnail

Dusty “Leatherass9” Schmidt is one of the real success stories of online poker. He’s the “Average Joe” who started playing micro-stakes games and eventually turned that into millions of dollars and a sponsorship deal with PokerStars.  In his first book, “Treat Your Poker Like a Business,” Schmidt revealed some of the secrets to becoming an… Read more »

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