Thu, 09/29/2011 – 07:02 – PokerPages Staff

5. Darren Elias – Total Winnings $230,610
Resident of Erie, PA Darren Elias is enjoying a bumper 2011 at the poker tables. Most of his career earnings have been in this year, including two cashes over $100,000. Elias beat Britain’s Ricky Hale to fifth spot, earning $230,000 in the process.

4. Fred Goldberg – Total Winnings $280,925
Fred Goldberg has been a regular on the poker circuit since 2006, achieving 19 cashes, three wins and a WSOP bracelet. For coming fourth in this event, Goldberg netted a cool $280,000.

3. Daniel Buzgon – Total Winnings $335,433
The third place finish for Daniel Buzgon in this event earned him by far his biggest poker payday, worth $335,000. Buzgon’s highest previous poker haul was $96,500 for coming 72nd in the WSOP main event in 2008.

2. Jin Hwang – Total Winnings $554,303
In the silver medal slot at this event was Jin Hwang of San Diego, CA. This event was only the third time Hwang has finished in the money at a poker event. Prior to this event, Hwang’s poker income totaled $1,751.

1. Bahbak Oboodi – Total Winnings $922,441
Never troubled throughout the tournament, Bahbak Oboodi did not once have to go ‘all-in’ throughout the game play; such was his command over the event. Oboodi promised that this would not be the last time he starred in a WPT event, vowing to go all the way again.

September 29 2011, Brett Collson

Full Tilt Poker was all over the news on Thursday after its license was revoked by the Alderney Gaming Control Commission (AGCC). If you haven’t been following story, go grab some popcorn and we’ll get you caught up. In other news, the Team Europe and Team Americas rosters were selected for the WSOPE Caesars Cup, Dennis Phillips is bringing High Stakes Poker games to the Midwest, and more.

In Case You Missed It

On Thursday, the AGCC released a statement announcing that it revoked Full Tilt Poker’s license. FTP responded with its own statement, and then the Department of Justice updated the status of FTP and player funds. Pokernews’ Chad Holloway was all over the Full Tilt Poker scope.

Poker players have been very open about their feelings toward Full Tilt Poker. Find out what players were saying after the DOJ added Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Rafe Furst to its civil indictment last week.

Canadian poker pro Mike “goleafsgoeh” Leah won his first bracelet at the 2011 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker this month. Then, he chopped the Main Event for $560,000. Leah discussed his WCOOP success in our one-on-one interview this week.

Olivier Busquet is a poker wizard. Don’t believe us? Have a listen to Busquet answering questions from listeners and analyzing some difficult spots in the latest Strategy with Kristy podcast.

The Global Poker Index released its rankings as of Sept. 26. Phil Ivey’s absence from the tournament circuit has resulted in his removal from the Top 300. Find out who replaced him.

The PokerStars.net Latin American Poker Tour will make its inaugural stop to the Colombian city of Medellin next month. Lynn Gilmartin provides everything you need to know about the city in the PokerNews Jet Set.

Team ElkY vs. Team Hellmuth

The rosters have been drawn for the upcoming Caesars Cup at the World Series of Poker Europe in Cannes, France. The Ryder Cup-style poker event pits teams of the best players from both sides of the Atlantic against each other for bragging rights and the coveted Caesars Cup.

The event was last played in 2009 and won by Team Europe, which was captained by former WSOPE Main Event champion Annette Obrestad. That team easily defeated the Team Americas squad captained by Daniel Negreanu.

This year, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier leads Team Europe against Phil Hellmuth’s Team Americas crew. Grospellier decided to go with youth as he selected five players with a combined five WSOP bracelets, including recent Triple Crown winner Jake Cody. Gus Hansen, Dario Minieri and Maxim Lykov were also included on the squad.

“I am very confident in my team,” said Grospellier. “We will show the Americas that 2009 was not an upset!”

Hellmuth, on the other hand, will have experience on his side. Including Hellmuth, Team Americas will boast 39 WSOP bracelets won by Doyle Brunson (10), Johnny Chan (10), Daniel Negreanu (four), and Huck Seed (four) round out the team.

“These idiot Northern Europeans think they know everything about the game of poker,” Hellmuth joked . “Well, we plan to show them that decades of experience are much more valuable than clicking a mouse while sitting in your pajamas. In all seriousness, we look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to return the Caesars Cup to American soil.”

Read the press release at WSOP.com.

Dennis Phillips Brings High Stakes Poker to the Midwest

Next month, former WSOP November Niner Dennis Phillips will take part in the largest cash games ever played in St. Louis. Phillips and St. Louis radio man Paul Harris, hosts of KFNS’ Final Table Poker Radio Show, are set to participate in the Harrah’s St. Louis Big Game from Oct. 28 through 30.

The nine-handed cash game will feature $25/$50 blinds with a $10 ante and a minimum buy-in of $15,000. A combined estimated minimum of $270,000 will be on the table at any given time, and, depending on who shows, there’s the potential for much more.

“As a player, there really is no better place in St. Louis to play poker,” said Phillips, who won $4.5 million for his third-place finish at the 2008 Main Event. “I’m excited to be a part of bringing a game of this size to my hometown.”

The public is welcome to watch all the action when the cards go in the air at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28.

Interested players can contact the Harrah’s WSOP Poker Room at (314) 770-7600.

Chiligaming to Enter U.S. Market

French online gaming operator Chiligaming is set to enter the U.S. poker market with the launch of a free-to-play social-gaming poker network.

The new legal, nongambling poker network includes a wide range of social gaming features including virtual currency, multiple language options, and availability on multiple devices including PCs, MACs, iPhone, Android, tablets and social networks.

The company will also open offices in San Francisco, Calif., as part of its expansion into new markets. Chiligaming plans to use the free-play platform as a launch pad into real-money play when legislation occurs in the States. It remains one of a small number of international online gaming operators never to have taken a bet in the U.S.

“The gaming market is evolving and Chiligaming is evolving with it by expanding its operation to become an active social gaming player in addition to an established online gaming operator,” said founder Alexandre Dreyfus. “Chiliplay.com will be the first brand to launch on the network and we will be welcoming more partners now that all the devices for access are ready.”

Read the press release for more.

A New Professor in Town?

Dutch Boyd has started a new poker training site, and the community is already on red alert. Boyd tweeted on Wednesday that his new training site at PokerClinic.com had been launched and players could get a one-on-one lesson with the former WSOP bracelet winner.

However, because of his past, the response to Boyd’s new training site hasn’t been overly welcoming. For those who don’t remember, Boyd was the president and co-founder of an online cardroom that went under in 2001. The cardroom did not refund an estimated $400,000 in player funds, causing a massive backlash across the poker community.

He was also sued by TwoPlusTwo founder Mason Malmuth in 2009 for trademark infringement after allegedly registering a domain name using the phrase “Two Plus Two.”

How does community feel about Boyd’s latest venture? Check out the reaction at TwoPlusTwo.

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