Wed, 02/09/2011 – 03:33 – PokerPages Staff

The new season of ’High Stakes Poker’ cash game show will air later this month with a new host.

Former ‘Saturday Night Live’ star and comedian Norm MacDonald takes the reigns from Gabe Kaplan. MacDonald will feature alongside decorated poker pro Kara Scott.

The 47 year-old is a regular at the World Series of Poker and has ridden the money bubble to cash on two occasions.

Team PokerStars sponsored pros Daniel Negreanu and Barry Greenstein are among the players who will compete during Season 7 of the popular series.

There will be a $200,000 minimum buy in this time around. Blinds will be $400/$800 with a $100 ante.

Team Full Tilt Poker pros will not feature due to PokerStars’ association with the show meaning Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan and Gus Hansen are absent from the proceedings.

Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst will make her debut, becoming the third female to join the male dominated set at the Bellagio.

2010 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel, Poker Hall of Famer Doyle Brunson, Jason Mercier, Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak are also named among the official cast list.

Season 7 will get underway on Saturday, February 26 at 8pm (ET) on the Game Show Network. A repeat will air the following Sunday at 11pm (ET).

Tue, 01/25/2011 – 01:21 – PokerPages Staff

#5 – Brian Townsend
In stark contrast to his spectacular successes of 2009, when he won $2.4 million (he was one of the bigger money winners that year), the Santa Barbara pro had a dismal time of it in 2010.  He parted company with $1.5 million in just four months on his online ‘sbrugby’ account (June to October).

#4 – Gus Hansen
“The Great Dane” started 2010 well, stashing away $2.3 million in poker winnings in the first two months.  But by the summer, he’d lost $4 million.  It was the biggest cash hemorrhage of the year, but he managed a series of superb wins toward the end of 2010, leaving him “just” $1.6 million down.

#3 – ‘cadillac1944′
This player’s real name may not yet be publicly known, but his bruising poker losses in 2010 sure are.  He only opened his online account in August, but By December, he was $1.8 million down.

#2 – Ilari ‘Ziigmund’ Sahamies
High stakes poker pros expect plenty of rollercoaster rides in their careers, but famous young Fin found himself on one in 2010 which seemed to have more down-slopes than ups.  His income climbed to $2 million at the start of the year but plummeted over the summer by $2.6 million.  He clawed his way back to $1.48 million in profit, only to see it plunge down the toilet again, leaving him $2 million down.

#1 – Brian Townsend
Yup, Brian’s year was so dreadful he gets into the “top” five for this category twice.  We placed him number five for the losses on his “sbrugby” account – but those on his red pro “Brian Townsend” account were considerably worse.  By May, he’d lost $2.5 million.  Put both accounts together and he lost an eye-watering total of $4 million.  Let’s hope 2011 is kinder to him.