September 2010 Archives

He may be one of the best cartoon characters of all time - but Fred Flintstone was a Yabba Dabba Donkey at poker.

He tries his luck on the felt In one classic episode where his prehistoric world collides with that of the futuristic Jetsons.

Fred disguises himself as a rich Texas oilman to try to win Wilma a luxury vacation during a card game against his quarry boss, Mr Slate - with Barney in a dress pretending to be his wife!

But Fred loses and the two families have to go camping instead.

In a genius twist, The Jetsons arrive in Bedrock after Elroy invents a time machine.

At first, both sets of characters mistake the other for aliens - until Fred and George eventually call out offering for peace.

POKER babe LIV Boeree has spoken of her delight at becoming the newest member of Team PokerStars.

The Iron Maiden made world headlines after becoming EPT champion at San Remo, winning a cool £1 million.

Now she's signed the mega-bucks deal with EPT sponsors PokerStars - joining fellow team members including Dan Negreanu and Vicky Coren.

Liv, 26, said: "It's more of an honour than I can really describe. It's something I've been aspiring towards ever since I learned about the world of poker, and I am over the moon to be achieving such a huge personal goal!

"I hope to grow my game as far as possible by studying and playing as much as I can. I'll also hopefully get to use the wonderful resource of the other Team Pros some of the greatest poker minds in the game! Hopefully I'll use this to produce further results and make the Team proud!"

SHE'S one of the hottest names in European poker. He is looking to make history by winning the WSOP Main Event in November.

Now Norwegian Annette Obrestad, 21, and Canadian Scott Montgomery, 29, have revealed that they have hearts flushed - as they are officially dating.

The news gained ground after previously single Scott posted on his Facebook account, "Getting ready to celebrate my gf's birthday.Hope she likes my gift!"

That was all it took for TwoPlusTwo forum members to start speculating on who his new other half could be, and a photo of Scott and Annette together was later posted to the forum.

The couple, who boast over $7 million in live tournament cashes between them, follow in the great tradition of green baize partners including Marco Traniello and Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren and Erica Schoenberg, and Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly.

NEW WSOP Europe bracelet winner Phil Laak has won another title - as poker's most prolific twitterer.

The likeable Unabomber took down the £2,650 six-handed tournie in London - and kept his Twitter followers up to date on his progress every step of the way.

Laak, who played with his arm in plaster after a desert buggy crash, posted pictures of his showdown wins, opponents, and his ever-increasing chip stack during his memorable victory, which netted him a cool £170,000.

And this afternoon, the poker star even put up a before and after photo of his 'breakfast of champions' at The Imperial China restaurant in London - showing he's got the appetite for more than just poker.

BEFORE...

AFTER!

WAKING up to pocket Kings is always a joy.

But multiply that by a hundred in a heads-up situation - then add a few noughts when it's to win a tournament with a $3,200 first prize.

Yet I found myself in that glorious position after entering a £16 super turbo knockout on Full Tilt.

I really like these STs, but they're a complete lottery for the first few rounds. With just 300 chips, you're pushing for your life straight from the off.

A big slice of luck is needed to double up early on, but double up again and you can start picking off the small stacks around you.

Half an hour into the tournie and things plays very much like a standard MTT, although with a rapidly reducing field.

I reached the final table with second largest stack after encountering few problems, aside from once lucking out with AQ against AK in an all-in pot.

I ducked most of the trouble at the final table too by bullying the blinds and picking off the smaller stacks, three and four-betting when in position, and with a few timely squeezes.

I eventually found myself heads-up and level on chips with diapersniper14.

Then, after more too-ing and frowing than a tug-o-war match, my cowboys arrived. I raised against my aggressive opponent - who, thank the Lord, re-raised me. An all-in and he called with his K10 - which never looked like holding up.

Just two hours and 14 minutes after starting off with 300 chips, I had close to 370,000 - and a very decent payday.

And in all time to watch Match of the Day... result!

GREAT win for Dawn Till Dusk at the British Poker Awards last night.

The quality Nottingham venue was named Best UK Poker Room - something its many fans, including yours truly, have known for quite a while.

Other highlights at the BPAs included all-conquering James Akenhead being named Best Tournament Player, and Chris Moorman picking up the Best Online Player title.

Special mention also to top player, author and broadcaster Vicky Coren, who received the Best Contribution to Poker award.

Well deserved, especially after her last engaging and highly entertaining poker book, For Richer, For Poorer.

For a full list of the British Poker Awards winners visit Bluff Europe

HE'S probably my favourite online poker player - even though he once knocked me out of a tournament.

The Marmite-like Shaun Deeb - you either love him or, er, don't - has been burning up the felt at PokerStars and Full Tilt for years, regularly winning mega-money MTTs.

The far-from-shy US pro once busted me out of a relatively small $12 180 player tournie - yet it was no bad beat, just far superior play.

A few days ago, the Deeb battled a field of 3,397 to take home a $132,788 first-place prize in the $750 Guaranteed event at Full Tilt.

Deeb spoke about his latest impressive win, desert island fantasies, and poker player pranks at Pokernews

IT'S been a long-time coming, but Daniel Negreanu has finally been nominated for the Poker Hall of Fame.

But the Pokerstars pro's recent four-letter outburst against Annie Duke could scupper the chance to see his name immortalised alongside other legends of the game.

The Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council has strict criteria that successful nominees have to adhere to.

They include the proviso: "A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition; played for high stakes; played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers; stood the test of time; or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results."

The Bankrollboost blog said: ''Although it can be said that Daniel Negreanu meets most of those criteria, he may end up being disqualified if officials feel that it just would not do to reward a player who has insulted another reputed poker professional in one of the worst ways possible.''

Let's hope the powers-that-be do not go down that route and finally recognise The Kid and all he's done to popularise the game we know and love today.

ONE day a poker player hears a voice that tells him: "Quit your job, sell your house, and go to Las Vegas..."

He looks around, sees no-one, so ignores it.

But the next day he hears the same voice again urging him: "Quit your job, sell your house, and go to Las Vegas..."

He ignores it again.

On the third day, the mystery voice is back. "Quit your job, sell your house, and go to Las Vegas..."

This time he obeys.

Upon arriving in Las Vegas, the voice says: "Go to the Rio...," so the player does just that.

At the Rio, the voice says: "Put your last $10,000 on a World Series Of Poker Entry."

He does.

The first hand of the tournament, the player is dealt bullets, an ace of spades and an ace of hearts.

"Go all in!" commands the voice.

He does and gets three callers.

The flop is J T 9, all clubs.

"Oh crap!!!" says the voice....

HE'S the best player never to have won the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Now a painful video of how Phil Ivey crashed out of the 2010 showdown has emerged - and it makes painful viewing.

You can watch it and more of the action from this year's Las Vegas event at the excellent PokerStrategy.com website