News
The Conclusion to the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship
05/16/2008
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Semifinal and final round action to air this Sunday, May 18
The National Heads-Up Poker Championship began with 64 players, and now there are only 4 remaining. Both of the semifinal matches, as well as the best-of-three finals, will air on NBC this Sunday, May 18, at 12:00 p.m. EDT in an action packed 3-hour finale which will culminate with a new champion being crowned.
Hearts bracket winner Andy Bloch, who derailed Orel Hershiser’s impressive bid to reach the semifinals by defeating him in the quarterfinal round, will take on 1996 World Champion Huck Seed, the winner of the Diamonds bracket. Seed defeated David Benyamine last week to reach the semis, and has an overall record of 12-3 going into this match over the 4 years he has played in this event.
But as impressive as Seed’s record has been, it still ranks second to that of Chris Ferguson, the winner of the Clubs bracket, who is now 14-3 lifetime going into his semifinal match against Phil Ivey, winner of the Spades bracket. Ferguson, runner-up in this event in 2005 and 2006, defeated Jonathan Little to reach the semifinals once again, while Ivey continued to ride the momentum from his victory in the 2008 L.A. Poker Classic when he defeated Gus Hansen last week, setting up a match between these two poker superstars that is sure to arouse the interest of even the most casual of fans.
The winners of the semifinal matches will advance to play in the finals, while the losers will receive $125,000 for their efforts. The runner-up in this event will earn $250,000, while the winner will take home $500,000 and the title of 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Champion. The first hour of Sunday’s telecast will feature action from the semifinal rounds, while the last two hours will be devoted exclusively to the best-of-three finals. Viewers can expect to see a lot of hands played between these 4 great remaining players, and gain valuable insight on how to improve their own heads-up games in the process.
Fans won’t want to miss the exciting conclusion to this year’s Championship, so be sure to tune in. Check your local listings for the exact time in your area.
Dennis Oehring serves as the Public Relations Coordinator for the firm POKER PROductions.
WSOP CIRCUIT - Harrah's New Orleans Results pt. 1:
05/16/2008
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Fifth Annual Bayou Poker Challenge Kicks-Off in Style
World-famous chef and restaurateur Paul Pruhomme (K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen), who plays regularly inside the Harrahs poker room, served himself up as the tournament's honorary emcee on May 9, 2008 at Harrahs New Orleans.
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Dr. Del Walker Wins Opening Event in New Orleans
Louisiana Surgeon Slices and Dices His Way to Victory
The fifth annual Bayou Poker Challenge began today at the Harrahs New Orleans Casino and Resort. This is the final tour stop of the 2007-2008 World Series of Poker Circuit season. World-famous chef and restaurateur Paul Pruhomme (K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen), who plays regularly inside the Harrahs poker room, served himself up as the tournament's honorary emcee. Pruhomme was introduced by Harrahs General Manager Jim Hoskins, who welcomed the large crowd of players and spectators packed inside the Harrahs Theatre.
The tournament attracted players from all over the South, and many other states. New Orleans has become a popular destination for many poker players every May, particularly those with a taste for great food, entertainment, and Louisiana's alluring cultural attractions. The poker action, located just steps from New Orleans' famous French Quarter, regularly boasts a full house.
Event #1
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + $50
Number of Entries: 336
Total Prize Money: $162,960
May 9-10, 2008
Official Results:
1 Dr. Del Walker Houma, LA $50,518
2 Matt "Cub" Culberson New Orleans, LA 26,074
3 Ryan Welch Nashville, TN 13,037
4 Matthew Stulting The Woodlands, TX 11,407
5 Bryce Kammeyer Pensacola, FL 9,778
6 John White Houston, TX 8,148
7 Robbie Betancourt Humble, TX 6,518
8 Edward "Trip" Ludwig Metairie, LA 4,889
9 David Bailey Humble, TX 3,259
10 Jason Fontenot Prairieville, LA 1,956
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Event #2
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + $50
Number of Entries: 344
Total Prize Money: $166,840
May 10-11, 2008
Official Results:
1 Andrew Kloc Naugatuck, CT 51,840
2 Teddy Trosclair Thibedaux, LA 26,694
3 Jozef Pikula Atlanta, GA 13,347
4 Fatolla "Fati" Shahen Houston, TX 11,679
5 Shaun Higgins Houston, TX 10,010
6 Richard Estep Lake Charles, LA 8,342
7 Paul Luna Houston, TX 6,674
8 Homer Salinas LaToya, TX 5,005
9 Tim Debenport Baton Rouge, LA 3,337
10 Dr. James Blakely Dallas, TX 2,002
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Johnathan Westra Wins Second WSOP Circuit Gold Ring and $29,385 at Bayou Poker Challenge
22-Year-Old University of Florida College Student Now Has 16 Major Tournament Cashes
The third event on the 2008 Bayou Poker Challenge schedule was completed today as Johnathan Westra won the $500 no-limit hold'em competition. The tournament was hosted by the Harrahs New Orleans Casino and Resort. First place paid $29,385. Westra was presented with a gold ring, awarded to all World Series of Poker Circuit winners here in New Orleans. This marked his second career WSOP Circuit victory. Westra also won the Short-Handed No-Limit Hold'em championship held at the Tunica Grand Casino-Resort in January.
Event #3
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + $50
Number of Entries: 187
Total Prize Money: $90,695
May 11-12, 2008
Official Results:
1 Johnathan Westra Gainesville, FL $29,385
2 Brian Walsingham Atlanta, GA 15,418
3 Brandon E. Robinson Blytheville, AR 9,070
4 Glenn Hyde Atlanta, GA 7,256
5 B.J. McBrayer Tuscaloosa, AL 6,442
6 Rob Quin Metairie, LA 5,535
7 Terry Keratsopoulos Dallas, TX 3,628
8 Brandon Guillory Opelousas, LA 2,721
9 Rob Thies Debary, FL 1,814
10 Ricky Roussel Metairie, LA 1,451
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Mark Stephen Edwards Victorious at Bayou Poker Challenge
25-Year-Old Restaurant Owner Digests First Major Tournament Victory
The fourth event on the 2008 Bayou Poker Challenge schedule was completed today as Mark Stephen Edwards won the $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em competition. The tournament was hosted by the Harrahs New Orleans Casino and Resort. First place paid $30,957. Edwards was also presented with a gold ring, awarded to all World Series of Poker Circuit winners here in New Orleans.
Edwards began play at the final table with the chip lead and was the dominant force throughout the six-hour finale. However, his primary adversary, Will "the Monkey" Souther made things quite interesting both from a poker perspective as well as serving as the tournament's carnival sideshow. Edwards' convincing victory was nearly overshadowed by "Monkey's" zoo-like antics. The runner up consistently bantered with the large crowd, jumped up and down, and slide wildly across the Harrahs theatre stage as though he was performing in Cirque Du Soleil. But "Monkey's: unconventional behavior was not enough to overcome a commanding final table performance by the 25-year-old victor.
Event #4
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + 50
Number of Entries: 197
Total Prize Money: $95,549
May 12-13, 2008
Official Results:
1 Mark Stephen Edwards Las Vegas, NV $30,957
2 Will "the Monkey" Souther Biloxi, MS 16,243
3 John Lively Houston, TX 9,555
4 James Dunning Orlando, FL 7,644
5 Rodney Barkis San Angelo, TX 5,733
6 Lionel DeAgano New Orleans, LA 4,777
7 Dexter Brown Robinsonville, MS 3,822
8 Nicholas Wilbur Charleton, MA 2,866
9 David Joseph New Orleans, LA 1,911
10 Chris Land Alpharetta, GA 1,529
Come Play Poker With Jerry Yang, 2007 WSOP Main Event Champion!
05/14/2008
Come play poker with 2007 WSOP Main Event champ Jerry Yang at Lake Elsinore Hotel & Casino, "California’s Friendliest Poker Room," open 24 hours. You can play Limit & No Limit Hold 'em, Limit & No Limit Omaha, Pure Blackjack and 3-Card Poker.
There are daily 10am poker tournaments, nightly tournaments and monthly tournaments.
Jerry (The Shadow) Yang will be in the No-Limit Hold' em Tournament Series May 21st thru May 25th 2008. Lake Elsinore Hotel & Casino offers room rates for poker players and an exclusive players menu!
Hotel, Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge 20930 Malaga Road, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 -- Hotel phone number: (951)-674-3101 -- Casino phone number: (951)-674-5160. Check them out on the web at www.LERcasino.com
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The Jerry Yang No-Limit Hold' em Tournament Series schedule:
May 21st - Wednesday - 7pm: $100 Buy-in + $20 Entry
30 min. rounds & $3,000 in chips
May 22nd - Thursday - 7pm: $200 Buy-in + $20 Entry
30 min. rounds & $4,000 in chips
May 23rd - Friday - 7pm: $500 Buy-in + $50 Entry
45 min. rounds & $5000 in chips
May 24th- Saturday - 2pm: $1000 Buy-in + $100 Entry
60 min. rounds & $10,000 in chips
May 25th - Sunday - 12 noon: Jerry Yang Bounty Tournament
$100 Buy-in + $20 Entry
30 min. rounds & $2,500 in chips
The 2007 World Series of Poker No-Limit Texas Hold' em Champion will be there with some special guests. You can play with the Pros, so where will you be? Only at the Lake!
Hotel, Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge 20930 Malaga Road, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 -- Hotel phone number: (951)-674-3101 -- Casino phone number: (951)-674-5160. Check them out on the web at www.LERcasino.com
Oracle Poker Consulting Launched!
05/14/2008
Michael Binger and Roy Winston Join Forces to Offer Player Educational Services
Professional poker players Roy Winston and Michael Binger, together, announce the formation of Oracle Poker Consulting, which will focus on player education through a vast array of workshops and private training courses.
The roll out of individual player service will be unveiled at this year’s World Series of Poker. In addition to individual training, Binger and Winston are opening poker learning centers which will be available for teaching all levels of poker; from beginner through advanced, tournament play, and cash games play. During the WSOP, the emphasis will be on final table services and will culminate with Michael Binger and Roy Winston offering to work with one of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table players intensely for three months thanks to the break before final table play is resumed.
The learning centers will focus on a wide range of game improvement aspects such as transitioning from online play to live poker play. From the novice who needs to learn fundamentals, to the seasoned player looking for that edge, the Oracle Learning Centers will bring an exciting alternative to any poker player looking to improve their game.
Roy Winston said, “In almost every other sport or activity, be it team or individual, coaching is a large part of the performance improvement process. Whether we are working with a beginner or taking an already skilled player, working on improving their game is our mission. Today’s poker player has come a long way from the days of underground card rooms where the hustlers prayed on the inexperienced. Beyond the fundamentals, just one of the advanced concepts they teach is the ability to put your opponent on a narrow range of hands so you can beat them with a wide range of hands.”
Michael Binger added, “Through refinement of a player’s own game and the ability to find weaknesses in an opponent’s game Roy and I will offer significant game improvement. The process is multi-faceted and will include computer based hand simulation and analysis, video teaching and preparation for individual opponents. Reviewing videos of students play will allow substantial clean up of their own physical game as well, making reading them difficult even for accomplished players.”
Michael Binger and Roy Winston have recently appeared on the scene and taken the poker world by storm. Their tournament and cash game record speaks for itself, with more than $7,900,000 combined tournament winnings and proven cash game results. What elevate them are not only their years of higher education and proven ability to teach in their respective fields, but the way in which they are bringing it poker. Together, Binger and Winston write one of the most talked about and informative series of its type, a bi-weekly in depth hand analysis article.
For more information on Oracle Poker Consulting please contact their agent, Eric Brewstein at Eric@NoLimitManagement.com.
Cryptologic Increases Poker Presence in Core European Market with OPoker
05/13/2008
CryptoLogic to increase poker liquidity with delivery of top online poker solutions to Scandinavian market
(Dublin, IRELAND) – CryptoLogic Limited, a leading software developer to the global Internet gaming market, through its wholly owned subsidiary WagerLogic, today announced an exclusive three-year licensing agreement with OPoker.com, a new online poker site launched by a group of Scandinavia’s leading Internet poker executives.
Under the agreement, CryptoLogic will be OPoker.com’s sole provider of gaming software designed for the Scandinavian market, as well as customer support services, e-cash management and business service support.
“Today’s announcement is consistent with our strategic imperative of adding liquidity and strengthening the CryptoLogic poker network within Europe, including Scandinavia,” said Brian Hadfield, CryptoLogic’s President and CEO. “CryptoLogic’s partnership with OPoker.com shows that even while we grow into other parts of the world, we’re also expanding in our core European market.”
OPoker.com’s management team has a long-standing history in e-gaming software, operations and affiliate marketing. With CryptoLogic, OPoker.com will have access to a network of more than 10,000 concurrent users. OPoker.com players will have access to some of the industry’s most popular poker events, including the Caribbean Poker Classic™ and the Head Hunter Challenge™, an innovative tournament concept in which players win cash for every player they eliminate.
“CryptoLogic shares our vision of providing our players with top-quality poker software, tailored to local interests and cultures,” said Daniel Andersson, OPoker.com’s CEO. “Together, we will make OPoker.com a destination of choice for players across Scandinavia and beyond.”
“The combination of CryptoLogic’s technical solutions and OPoker.com’s industry knowledge and expertise make this partnership a natural fit,” added Justin Thouin, CryptoLogic’s Vice President, Product Management and Business Development.
World Poker Association Announces 2008 Inaugural Conference Program
05/13/2008
World Poker Association announces the launch of the first educational event for members at the WPA Inaugural Conference May 28th-May 29th in Las Vegas. The seminar will be led by Mike Caro, "Mad Genius of Poker." WPA Chairman, Wendeen H. Eolis says, "The Conference is a winning trifecta ticket, allowing members to sharpen their playing skills, network at the must-be-seen WPA cocktail party, May 28th, and then prove their bragging rights in the WPA Mega Satellite, May29th." The Association also announced the slate of nominees for the 08-09 WPA Board of Directors.
Las Vegas, NV May 12, 2008 -- The World Poker Association announced, today, the launch of its first educational event for members-"63 Money Making Tips to Win a Bundle at the WSOP"-at the WPA Inaugural Conference, which will take place at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino May 28-May 29, 2008..
Moderated by Mike Caro, "The Mad Genius of Poker," the panel will feature three experienced poker coaches tutoring the audience from distinctly different perspectives. They are: poker author and radio host and a LIPS Tour champion Lisa Adams, lawyer, accomplished player and Washington Poker School founder Ken Adams, and Francois Montmirel, principal of the acclaimed French School of Poker.
The panel will tackle issues such as building successful strategies against rising tournament players, differences in styles of play between Americans and Europeans, and tips for improving your game against any woman at your table.
WPA Chairman, Wendeen H. Eolis says, "The Conference is a winning trifecta ticket, allowing members to sharpen their tournament skills, network at the must-be-seen opening cocktail party, May 28th and then prove their bragging rights in the WPA Mega Satellite, May29th."
The Conference will open with the WPA's Inaugural Membership Meeting where the election of Directors of the World Poker Association will be completed for the new membership year (June, 2008 through May 2009).The officer slate s is headed by Eolis as Chairman with Ken Adams as Vice Chair, Roy Winston as Secretary and Rhett Butler as Treasurer.
The additional Director nominees are Lisa Adams, Michael Binger, Doyle Brunson, Joe Hachem, Jesse Jones, Thomas Kremser, J.J. Liu, Victor Ramdin, Blair Rodman, Roger Saad, Harry Thomas, Jr. and Roy Winston. The slate was enthusiastically endorsed by the current Board, which also tipped its hat to Jesse Jones supporting his nomination as a director with the title of Chairman Emeritus, in recognition of him as the founder of the WPA.
Commenting on her anticipated role as the Association's chief elected officer, Eolis says: "I am the short-term steward for the evolving vision of the WPA." Of her colleagues, she adds, "The new Board slate reflects the best in diversity and a group of doers with an abundance of smarts at the poker table and far beyond the felt."
Stay tuned for more news and details of the WPA Inaugural Conference.
Lucky UB Player Wins Bad Beat Jackpot twice!
05/13/2008
Déjà Vu as UltimateBet Legend Pops Second Bad Beat Jackpot at Online Poker Site
Online poker player from Alaska gets lucky twice at UltimateBet’s Bad Beat Jackpot tables
Miami, FL (PRWeb) May 12, 2008 – An online poker player from Alaska has defied the odds by hitting two Bad Beat Jackpots at UltimateBet within a span of less than three months.
“Bad Beat Jackpot continues to excite members of the online poker community by showing them that anything is possible at our Texas Hold’em tables,” stated UltimateBet spokesperson George MacLean.
On Tuesday, May 6th at 3:03am ET, an online poker player with the moniker dhc2lovr popped UltimateBet’s Bad Beat Jackpot by losing with four tens to four queens in a hand of Texas Hold’em. The jackpot had climbed to an impressive $448,920.71. For his win, dhc2lovr secured $145,899.23 and 117 other UltimateBet players shared an additional $145,899.23, including the winner of the hand who walked away with $72,949.61.
It wasn’t the first time that dhc2lovr had found success playing Bad Beat Jackpot. On March 25th at 2:48am ET, dhc2lovr popped his first Bad Beat Jackpot to the tune of $171,498.31.
According to a standard security review undertaken by UltimateBet’s fraud department, dhc2lovr has been a frequent player at the online poker site’s Texas Hold’em tables since December 2005 and holds an Ultimate Legend status, one of the top tiers of RAI$E, UltimateBet’s lucrative loyalty program.
Ultimate Legends must earn 2,500 RAI$E Status Points per month by playing online poker in order to maintain their RAI$E status. Dhc2lovr’s Ultimate Legend status indicates that he takes poker extremely seriously and is a frequent player at UltimateBet. MacLean notes that those who play at more Bad Beat Jackpot tables more often will have more opportunity to be at a table when a Bad Beat Jackpot is hit.
“I had won a bad beat before but I really didn’t feel there was any reason why I couldn’t win again,” says dhc2lovr. “I felt I had the same chances as anyone else to win and the fact that I had won it before made no difference.”
Bad Beat Jackpot is just like traditional Texas Hold'em poker with an added jackpot component. In addition to rake, $0.50 is collected from qualifying poker hands and placed into a constantly growing pot until someone hits the jackpot.
When a player loses a hand with four 8s or anything better, 65% of the jackpot is divided among Bad Beat Jackpot players (25% remains in the pot for the next jackpot and 10% is dedicated towards administrative fees). All players seated at a Bad Beat Jackpot table featuring the same limit and game type as where the bad beat occurred also win a piece of the jackpot.
Full details on UltimateBet's Bad Beat Jackpot game can be found at www.ultimatebet.com.
Fifth Annual Bayou Poker Challenge (WSOP CIRCUIT STOP) Kicks-Off in Style, Event #1 Results
05/12/2008
The final World Series of Poker Circuit event of the season is currently taking place at the Harrahs New Orleans Casino and Resort. The tournament runs through May 23rd.
World Series of Poker Circuit
2007-2008 Season
Harrah’s New Orleans
The Fifth Annual Bayou Poker Challenge
Event #1
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + $50
Number of Entries: 336
Total Prize Money: $162,960
May 9-10, 2008
Official Results:
1 Dr. Del Walker Houma, LA $50,518
2 Matt "Cub" Culberson New Orleans, LA 26,074
3 Ryan Welch Nashville, TN 13,037
4 Matthew Stulting The Woodlands, TX 11,407
5 Bryce Kammeyer Pensacola, FL 9,778
6 John White Houston, TX 8,148
7 Robbie Betancourt Humble, TX 6,518
8 Edward "Trip" Ludwig Metairie, LA 4,889
9 David Bailey Humble, TX 3,259
10 Jason Fontenot Prairieville, LA 1,956
Dr. Del Walker Wins Opening Event in New Orleans. Louisiana Surgeon Slices and Dices His Way to Victory
The fifth annual Bayou Poker Challenge began today at the Harrahs New Orleans Casino and Resort. This is the final tour stop of the 2007-2008 World Series of Poker Circuit season. World-famous chef and restaurateur Paul Pruhomme (K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen), who plays regularly inside the Harrahs poker room, served himself up as the tournament’s honorary emcee. Pruhomme was introduced by Harrahs General Manager Jim Hoskins, who welcomed the large crowd of players and spectators packed inside the Harrahs Theatre.
The tournament attracted players from all over the South, and many other states. New Orleans has become a popular destination for many poker players every May, particularly those with a taste for great food, entertainment, and Louisiana’s alluring cultural attractions. The poker action, located just steps from New Orleans’ famous French Quarter, regularly boasts a full house.
The first event of 15 on this year’s Bayou schedule, a $500 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament, started with 336 entries. The prize pool amounted to $162,960. After 326 players were eliminated on day one, the final ten players continued play on day two. Texan Matthew Stulting enjoyed an impressive chip lead, with 141,000 in his stack. Local poker celebrity Matt “Cub” Culberson was in second place with 104,000. Ryan Welch, from Tennessee was close behind with 103,500. All the remaining players had less than 100,000 in chips (eventual winner Del Walker started in seventh place). The exact starting chip counts were as follows:
Seat 1: Matthew Stulting 141,000
Seat 2: Ryan Welch 103,500
Seat 3: Del Walker 44,000
Seat 4: Matt “Cub” Culberson 104,000
Seat 5: “Trip” Ludwig 57,500
Seat 6: Robbie Betancourt 26,000
Seat 7: David Bailey 40,500
Seat 8: John White 47,000
Seat 9: Jason Fontenot 19,500
Seat 10: Bryce Kammeyer 98,500
Opening blinds were 2,000-4,000 with 500 antes.
10th Place – Just five hands into play, Jason Fontenot found A-K and moved all-in with his last 18,000. Ryan Welch had plenty of chips with which to make the call, and showed A-8. It appeared Fontenot might double up early, but an eight on the turn gave Welch a pair, the pot, and served as the final table’s first bad beat. Jason Fontenot, a physical education teacher from Prairieville, LA collected $1,956.
9th Place – Two hands later, another player was eliminated when David Bailey called an all-in raise with A-Q. His opponent, Del Walker had K-K. The flop gave Bailey some hope as he caught a queen. But two successive blanks on the turn and river sealed his fate – which came to a ninth-place finish. David Bailey, an air conditioning technician took home a very cool $3,259.
8th Place – The 16th hand of play resulted in a chip-lead change. Cub Culberson increased his stack to over 150,000 at the expense of “Trip” Ludwig. Culberson had A-Q, which dominated Ludwig’s A-J. Neither player made a pair, so the high cards played. Culberson’s big stack easily covered his opponent. That meant Trip Ludwig busted out in eighth place. The business owner from Metairie, LA received $4,889.
7th Place – Blinds increased to 3,000-6,000 with a 500 ante. Robbie Betancourt was getting low on chips and tried to make a move with K-7. John White called the 20,000 raise with A-9. Pairs were hard to come by for both players, so White’s ace played. Betancourt ended up settling for seventh place. The teacher and coach from Humble, TX was paid $6,518.
6th Place – There were two players sitting at the final table celebrating birthdays. One was John White, from Houston. His hopes of opening up a $50,000 birthday present (first place money) were crushed when he lost a big hand against Mathew Stulting. On the turn of the fateful hand, the board showed A-K-10-8. White pushed all-in with his A-10 (two pair). Stulting was absolutely thrilled to call, and showed Q-J -- good for a straight. White failed to improve, which ended his tournament life. The IT Director from Houston collected $8,148. Happy 44th birthday to Mr. White. Note: White finished 10th and 11th place in this same tournament the last two year’s at Harrahs New Orleans.
5th Place – By virtue of White’s elimination, Matthew Stulting regained the chip lead. Meanwhile, Bryce Kammeyer needed something to happen. Down to about 40,000 he moved all-in with A-5. Cub Culberson called and showed Q-10. The flop was a heartbreaker for Kammeyer as J-10-9 not only gave Culberson a pair, but also a straight draw. Kammeyer failed to improve and had to settle for fifth place. The Nay pilot from Pensacola, FL was paid $9,778. Note: Kammeyer is a helicopter pilot. He participated in more than 100 rooftop rescues in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
4th Place – Down to four players, play tightened up considerably. Twenty more hands passed before Matthew Stulting found himself outchipped by Cub Culberson. On what turned out to be his final hand of the night, Stulting re-raised all-in with A-10. Culberson called and showed 9-9. The flop gave Stulting some extra outs as K-J-7 (all clubs) meant he had two overcards, a straight draw, and a flush draw (with the ace of clubs). Unfortunately, Stulting missed everything. Culberson’s pocket nines survived and the tournament was down to three players. Matthew Stulting, an insurance agent from The Woodlands, TX accepted a cash settlement of $11,407 for fourth place.
3rd Place – Just a few hands later, Ryan Welch went out when his 6-6 lost to Del Walker’s A-8. Walker caught an eight on the flop and the pair held up. The pot gave Walker the chip lead and eliminated Welch in third place. The salesman-turned-poker-pro from Nashville, TN was paid $13,037 in prize money.
2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Del Walker enjoyed a 402,000 to 282,000 chip advantage over Cub Culberson. Both finalists had a sort of home field advantage, as the two players were locals who regularly frequent the Harrahs New Orleans Poker Room. With blinds at 6,000-12,000 and a 2,000 ante, the last two competitors could afford to wait for the right opportunity before making a move. The duel lasted 26 uneventful hands before the final exciting conclusion.
On the last hand of the tournament, Culberson was dealt Q-5. Walker was dealt 9-9. The flop came Q-4-2. Culberson moved his remaining 150,000 into the pot and Walker called immediately. At that moment, it appeared Walker had made a big mistake and Culberson would double up and seize a commanding chip lead. But a nine on the turn stunned the crowd and essentially crushed Culberson’s hopes of winning his first WSOP Circuit gold bracelet after coming so close a number of times. Walker ended up making trip nines on the hand, and Culberson was left drawing dead.
As the runner up, Matt “Cub” Culberson received $26,074. He had finished in second and fourth place at previous WSOP Circuit events held in New Orleans. At least for now, victory is elusive. But Culberson’s time will come eventually.
1st Place – It’s rare to witness a winner apologize after a victory. But that’s exactly what Del Walker did, when asked to explain his feelings after winning his first major poker tournament. “I was really kind of embarrassed to draw out on a pro like that,” Walker said afterward. “I really felt bad for Cub. I was very lucky to catch that nine (which won the tournament).”
Walker is a 58-year-old orthopedic surgeon from nearby Houma, LA. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University. In fact, Walker played college football as a tailback for the LSU Tigers and went on to practice medicine after graduating in 1971.
“I don’t get a chance to play in many poker tournaments,” Walker confided. “So for me, this win is really special.”
Walker’s final pot amounted to $50,518. He was also presented with the coveted WSOP Circuit gold ring, awarded to every champion at this year’s series of tournaments being held at Harrahs New Orleans.
AP's Liv Boeree Wins European Ladies Championship
05/09/2008
Absolute Poker’s UK Ambassador takes first place in Ladbrokes European Ladies Championship
If you’ve ever dreamed of playing Texas Hold’em against one of Europe’s best female poker players, look no further than Absolute Poker. Liv Boeree, the online poker site’s UK ambassador, finished first among a field of 53 players in the Ladbrokes European Ladies Championship last weekend.
"I'm utterly over the moon about winning the European Ladies Championships,” stated Liv Boeree. “It was a fantastic tournament with a great sense of camaraderie and a really tough final table that I enjoyed playing from start to finish. This is also a great boost to my confidence going into the World Series of Poker* which is drawing ever closer."
The land-based poker tournament, held on May 3rd and 4th in London, featured some of the best female poker players on the continent including Annette Obrestad, the winner of the WSOPE Main Event. Liv Boeree placed first in the tournament, securing a commemorative trophy and $30,000 in cash.
In February 2008, Absolute Poker signed Liv Boeree, a former astrophysics student and aspiring 23-year-old pro poker player, to represent the online poker site in the UK marketplace.
Boeree began her poker career on the television series UltimatePoker.com Showdown in August 2005. There, she learned some valuable tips from Annie Duke, one of the poker world's best female players, and caught the attention of popular online poker site Absolute Poker.
Most recently, Liv reconnected with Annie and gained additional insight and playing tips from the world poker champion – an experience that no doubt helped her conquer the Ladbrokes European Ladies Championship. In a little over two years, Liv has amassed several top-10 finishes in Texas Hold'em tournaments across London including multiple first place wins.
Liv Boeree is featured in Absolute Poker’s UK marketing communications pieces and can be found playing in tournaments across Europe as well as online at AbsolutePoker.com.
Poker’s Top Asian Pros Eye Top Plum at APT Manila
05/09/2008
Asian Poker Tour’s First Tournament Set For May 27 - June 1
The top professional poker players with Asian heritage are aiming for nothing less than the top prize at the upcoming Asian Poker Tour Philippines leg this coming May 27 to June 1.
Korean-born Steve Sung, Vietnam-native Quinn Do and Vietnamese-American Nam Le are all hoping to be the last man standing at the finals table of the first leg of the 2008 Asian Poker Tour to be held at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel. The three poker pros of Asian-descent will duke it out with over 400 other pros for a chance to win the first prize chunk of the guaranteed prize pool of US$ 1 million.
Korean-born Steve Sung has been playing in major live tournaments for several years now since turning pro. While still lacking a major tournament title, he has been a top placer in several WPT and WSOP events, his best finish being second place in the recent 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star WPT Championship. Before playing live tournaments, Sung has been an avid online poker player under the moniker ‘MuGGyLiCiOuS’. To date, his total poker winnings amount to over $1.4 million.
Quinn Do decided to play poker full time in 2004 after his time at the University of Washington and after dabbling in the restaurant business. Since turning pro, Do has been a regular at major live poker events and has won a WSOP Gold Bracelet at the 2005 WSOP Limit Hold’em Event. Other notable finishes by the Vietnam-born Do include a 2nd place finish at the Bellagio Challenge Cup Championship in 2005 and most recently, a 2nd place finish at the 2008 LA Poker Classic WPT Championship where he went home with $909,400.00. Quinn Do’s total poker winnings to date are close to $2 million.
Vietnamese-American Nam Le is only twenty-five years old but is already considered by many to be a major threat at live tournaments. He already has a couple of first place finishes under his belt – the 2006 Bay 101 Shooting Star WPT Championship and the 2006 Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge II, as well top place finishes in several WSOP and WPT events. His most recent finish was 4th place at the 2008 LA Poker Classic WPT Championship where he earned $411,770.00. Le’s total winnings to date exceed $4.3 million.
While Sung, Do and Le are favourites to win the top plum at the APT, they will face stiff competition from other poker pros, most notably, Filipino poker players who are expected to perform well on their native soil. Filipino poker players are expected to make up a third of the total number of entrants to the biggest poker event to hit Manila.
If neither Sung, Do and Le take home the APT Championship title in Manila, they will have three other chances to try this year as the APT moves to Macau in August, Seoul in October and Singapore in December with each event still guaranteeing a prize pool of US$1 million.
Poker players joining the APT Manila leg can register online at www.asianpt.com or at the venue until May 28 before the start of the day’s games.
