Five November Nine Broadcast Observations
The first day of the 2014 WSOP November Nine is in the
books. A lot of poker was played over the course of 12 hours
and tomorrow promises to be another long night. I'm going to reserve commentary on the gameplay and instead
give five observations on the November Nine broadcast. Observation #1 - Rails subdued compared to past years
Observation #2 - Daniel vs.
Categories:
2014 November Nine,
2014 WSOP,
November Nine,
World Series of Poker,
WSOP
The Midterm Elections Were Neither the End or a Beginning for Online Poker
The midterm elections are now in the books and I have been
reading the various opinions how this will affect online
poker legalization in the United States. A lot of focus has been placed on whether RAWA will find its
way to a vote in Congress and if so, whether it will pass. Steve Ruddock is headlining those that are speculating
whether Harry Reid will find a way to push an online poker
bill through before the end of the lame duck session. Here are my thoughts on both matters:
1.
Categories:
midterm elections,
Online poker,
online poker legalization
Paying the King's Ransom to Play at PokerStars
PokerStars, PokerStars, oh how the industry loves to talk
about PokerStars. You would think that PokerStars can be US online poker's
savior after reading Steve Ruddock's recent piece. Meanwhile, California Tribes (minus the Morongo) view them
as the devil. Love them or hate them, PokerStars is the world's top site
and where the majority of the ROW spends a large portion of
their online poker dollars.
Categories:
Online poker,
online poker rake,
PokerStars
Random Funny Moments from the Tables
Not really feeling up to commenting on the latest poker
gossip. Instead, I'll share some random funny tidbit from my
live poker experiences. Yes, every one of these happened. Obnoxious player: "Do you know how much money I have won in
poker?"
Middle-aged guy: "Not enough if you're still playing with
us.
Categories:
funny,
Poker
If Poker Is Evil - Then Evil Must Be Good
There is a video floating around the poker community where
Nolan Dalla is making fun of Daniel Colman's claim that
poker. Check it out below. The whole Daniel Colman situation reminds me of the movie
Vampire in Brooklyn and the scene where the vampire (played
by Eddie Murphy) was preaching that "Evil must be Good. "
I think we can all agree that earning $20 million in a year
is good.
Categories:
Daniel Colman,
Eddie Murphy,
Nolan Dalla,
Vampire in Brooklyn
Mike Leah's Bracelet Victory Started With a List
I'm writing this just a few minutes after watching Mike Leah
win the $25,000 High Roller Event of the 2014 World Series
of Poker Asia-Pacific. Mike is a coach for Ivey League and as some of you know, I
worked for Ivey Poker until this past July. Mike was one of
the pros that I had the fortune to cover frequently because
he was one of the team's most consistent performers. In late December 2013, I emailed Mike asking if he would
give me a list of his poker-related "New Year's
Resolutions.
Categories:
Mike Leah,
WSOP APAC
Winning the Main Event is No Big Deal
For the first time all season, I turned on the 2014 World
Series of Poker broadcasts on ESPN. I probably wouldn't have
watched long except for the fact that both Griffin Benger
and Dan Smith were at the featured table. I covered them
extensively during my time at Ivey Poker, so I watched them
a bit. Just before turning the channel, ESPN showed a video done
with Tony Roberto.
Categories:
Tony Roberto,
WSOP Main Event
Hey Poker "Pro" - Go Get a Job
"Go get a job. " For some poker players, this phrase is a
complete insult. You insulted their ability as a player and
you must pay dearly with your chips. Those same players are also the ones who wind up having
their chips taken.
Categories:
Poker Pros,
Poker Staking
Grant Hinkle Enters Douchebag Hall of Fame
A few years ago, I remember sitting on media row at the
World Series of Poker playing "douchebag, not a douchebag
with other colleagues. "
For those not familiar with the game, we would make
completely stereotypical decisions on a player's
"douchiness" based on how they were dressed. In some cases,
it was based on their behavior, but usually on their outfit. On Monday night, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Grant
Hinkle entered the douchebag Hall of Fame during the Kansas
City - New England game.
Categories:
Douchebag,
Douchebag Hall of Fame,
Grant Hinkle
Is the Writing on the Wall for Ultimate Poker?
"If you make sure you're connected. The writing's on the
wall. But if your mind's neglected. Stumble you might fall.
Categories:
Online poker,
Ultimate Poker