January 25 2012, Brett Collson
While all eyes are on Phil Ivey at the Aussie Millions Main Event, the Nightly Turbo is here to bring you some of the other big stories in the world of poker. In this edition, we’ll cover the upcoming online poker hearing being held on Capitol Hill, the announcement of the World Poker Tour television schedule, and more.
In Case You Missed It
Phil Ivey was second in chips after Day 2 of the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event. Find out who he’s trailing in our daily Aussie Millions recap.
Is Pennsylvania overtaking New Jersey as the East Coast’s gaming leader? Inside Gaming has the latest on why the country’s second and third largest gaming markets could switch places this year.
What does it feel like to make the final table of your first Aussie Millions Main Event? Randy Dorfman explains his experience in the latest edition of My First.
Senate to Revisit Online Poker Next Month
A recent decision by the Department of Justice to reverse its position on the Wire Act of 1961 will be one of the topics discussed during a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Feb. 9, 2012.
The hearing will be the second of its kind in less than three months. On Nov. 17, a Senate hearing titled, “The Future of Internet Gaming: What’s at Stake for Tribes?” focused on testimony from representatives of various tribes and tribal groups. Poker Players Alliance Chairman Al D’Amato was one of the witnesses that testified before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
In regards to the hearing next month, Poker Players Alliance VP of Player Relations Rich Muny made the following statement in an e-mail sent to PPA members on Tuesday: “These continued hearings are hard evidence of the great work the poker community has been doing to ensure our elected representatives hear from us. I thank everyone for taking the steps necessary to ensure our elected representatives understand that we poker enthusiasts will not back down and will not simply go away!”
A list of witnesses for the upcoming hearing has not yet been announced. PokerNews will provide that information to our readers as soon as it is released.
Information on next month’s hearing can be found at indian.senate.gov.
Thor Hansen Diagnosed with Cancer
On Tuesday, the poker world was devastated to learn that Norwegian poker legend Thor Hansen has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Hansen, 64, was told by doctors at a Los Angeles hospital that the cancer is untreatable and he likely has less than two years to live.
Poker player Andreas Høivold broke the news on Twitter Tuesday evening:
Hansen, nicknamed “The Godfather” in Norway, is one of the most respected poker players in the world. He has amassed more than $3 million in live tournament earnings to go along with two World Series of Poker bracelets, one coming from a seven-card stud event in 1998, and the other in deuce-to-seven lowball in 2002. He was named the Norwegian Poker Player of the Year in 2005.
The news hit the poker community hard on Tuesday. Fellow Norwegian poker player Annette Obrestad said the following in a thread at TwoPlusTwo: “I seriously cried when I read [about] this. I don’t know anyone like him. He truly is one of a kind. All the best Thor, ur an inspiration for us all.”
Check out the full thread at TwoPlusTwo.
Watch the World Poker Tour on FSN
Season X of the World Poker Tour is still going strong in the U.S. and across Europe, but the action is already set to hit television screens beginning next month. On Wednesday, the WPT announced that all-new episodes will air on Fox Sports Net beginning on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time.
Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten will be back in the booth for the tenth year providing commentary for all 37 episodes of Season X. They will be joined by WPT anchor Kimberly Lansing, Raw Deal analyst Tony Dunst, and the Royal Flush Girls from the sidelines.
“WPT Season IX redefined poker programming and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Season X will see more new elements that we expect the audience will love and will further enhance the timeless appeal of our show,” said WPT CEO Steve Heller. “World Poker Tour’s sustainability is not only a testament to continual innovation, but also to co-hosts Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten, who have been the best in the business for an incredible ten years.”
Read more at PokerNews.com.
More TCOOP Winners
The inaugural PokerStars Turbo Championship of Online Poker passed the halfway point on Tuesday as winners were determined in events 24 through 27. Only 23 tournaments remained going into Wednesday, which featured four more events on the slate.
Here’s a look at the results from Tuesday:
Event #24: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo($50K Guaranteed)
| $100+9 | 1,321 | $132,100 |
A large turnout for Event #24 resulted in a prize pool that almost tripled its guarantee. The UK’s “Mongy,” who won TCOOP Event #4 last week, reached another final table on Tuesday. However, the cards did not fall in the Brit’s favor as he hit the rail in eighth place. Switzerland’s “Sir_Don_John,” who final tabled TCOOP Event #14, went on to win this one for $22,127.
Event #25: No Limit Hold’em ($500K Guaranteed)
| $200+15 | 3,589 | $717,800 |
One of the largest events on the TCOOP schedule attracted more than 3,500 players, leaving $717,800 in prize money up for grabs. A four-way deal at the final table saw all four players walk away with at least $63,600. Mexico’s “wcsquad3″ claimed victory and the top prize of $85,653.
Event #26: Stud ($25K Guaranteed)
| $20+2 | 3,037 | $60,740 |
Thayer “THAY3R” Rasmussen weaved his way through a field of more than 3,000 players, but the online poker legend fell short of his first TCOOP title, finishing sixth. Canada’s “Poker Own U” claimed victory and a prize of $10,327.
Event #27: No Limit Hold’em 2x Turbo w/ Rebuys ($300K Guaranteed)
| $20+2 | 7,818 | $542,780 |
Nearly 8,000 players combined to generate a prize pool of $542,780 after the rebuys and add-ons were settled. Brazil’s “Mcolombo” cruised through the final table to collect $82,562 and the commemorative 24k gold-played card protector.
For more details on each event, check out the PokerStars Blog.
A Gift From Tony G.
We reported last week that Shane Warne was having problems with cyclists on the road in Melbourne. As a solution, Tony G. presented a special gift to the legendary cricketer during the Aussie Millions Main Event on Wednesday.
Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.
Follow Brett Collson on
November 16 2011, Brett Collson
Online poker hits Capitol Hill again this week with a pair of hearings to discuss potential online poker legislation in the U.S. Across the pond, poker is being showcased as part of the London Mind Sports Festival to prove that poker is a skill game. We’ll provide details on those stories and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.
In Case You Missed It
Who topped the Day 1b field at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Loutraki Main Event? Find out in our recap.
Poker player Martin “phasE89“ Balaz made a bet that he could play 24,000 Fifty50 sit-and-gos on PokerStars in October and finish with a profit. Find out whether he was able to pull it off.
Bryan Devonshire joined the PokerNews Podcast this week. The poker pro talked about his 12th place finish in the World Series of Poker Main Event and his plans for the future.
The PokerStars European Poker Tour is headed to Prague this month. If you’re planning a trip, then find out all you need to know in the PokerNews Jet Set.
On Wednesday, Massachusetts state legislators passed a bill allowing for the construction of three Las Vegas-style casino resorts. We discuss what that means for the state in the latest Inside Gaming.
Online Poker Hearings in Senate and House
Online poker will be discussed at two hearings on Capitol Hill this week, first in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Thursday and then in the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade on Friday.
Thursday’s oversight committee hearing is called Future of Internet Gaming: What’s at Stake for Tribes? The hearing is likely to focus on testimony from representatives of various tribes and tribal groups. Poker Players Alliance Chairman Al D’Amato will testify before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. Other witnesses will be primarily made up of tribal representatives.
Friday’s hearing will be the second go-around by the House Subcommittee on Internet poker. The subcommittee first met Oct. 25, 2011, to discuss the safety of online poker. Representatives Frank Wolf (R-VA), John Campbell (R-CA) and Barney Frank (D-MA) will be on hand Friday to discuss the potential of future regulation in the States. They will be joined by Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark A. Lipparelli, who recently told VegasInc.com that the Nevada State Gaming Control Board will be accepting applications for online poker licenses beginning in February of next year.
Thursday’s Senate hearing gets under way at 2:15 p.m. EST, and Friday’s House hearing will begin at 9 p.m. EST. More information can be found at the websites of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and House, Energy and Commerce Committee.
Poker’s Biggest Names to Compete in Nations Cup
The International Federation of Poker (IFP) is set to host the inaugural Nations Cup this week as part of the London Mind Sports Festival. The event will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 17, in London.
Twelve teams consisting of some of the world’s best poker players will face off in an innovative variant of team poker called “duplicate poker,” which the IFP says will keep the element of luck in the game to a minimum. The winner of that event will be crowned the champion of the Nations Cup this weekend.
“Rather than competing against those at their table, duplicate poker pitches players against opponents dealt exactly the same cards in exactly the same position on neighboring tables,” says the IFP. “With all players in a particular seat given the same allocation of cards the only determining factor in the result of the tournament is how skillfully each player uses them.”
Among the countries participating in the event will be the United States, Spain, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Australia, and Ireland. Online gaming giant Zynga will also have a team. Some of the poker pros taking part include Tony G, Antonio Esfandiari, Barry Greenstein, Gus Hansen, Vanessa Selbst, David Benyamine, Liv Boeree, Sam Trickett, and 2011 November Niners Sam Holden and Eoghan O’Dea.
Following the conclusion of the Nation’s Cup, the IFP World Championship will take place on Nov. 19 with 130 of the world’s top players squaring off for a top prize of $250,000. The event, known as “The Table,” will be filmed for a worldwide audience.
Details on the Nations Cup and the IPF World Champions can be found at the International Federation of Poker’s website.
PartyPoker Premier League Nears
The final table of the PartyPoker Premier League Mixed Game Championship is nearly in place after both groups competed in their third and final heat on Wednesday. The 12 players faced off in a round of pot-limit hold’em at the Playboy Club London. Group A completed their heat in the evening, but played was paused in Group B with three players remaining.
Feared U.K. mixed-games specialist James Dempsey won his second heat of Group A to earn a spot at the final table. He will be joined at the final by Max Pescatori, who won the other heat in Group A, and Matt Giannetti, who used three consistent performances to earn enough points to secure a seat.
In Group B, Andrew Feldman and Andy Frankenberger locked up seats to the final, but the last seat is still up for grabs. Sorel Mizzi moved past Mike Sexton and is still alive in Heat 3, but Yevgeniy Timoshenko can pass Mizzi with a victory while earning double points with his double-up card.
It will come down to those two players when play resumes in London Thursday morning. Here’s a look at the current standings:
GROUP A
| 1 | James Dempsey | 24 |
| 2 | Max Pescatori | 20 |
| 3 | Matt Giannetti | 19 |
| 4 | Tony G | 10 |
| 5 | Luke Schwartz | 6 |
| 6 | Jen Tilly | 6 |
GROUP B
| *1 | Andrew Feldman | 19 |
| 2 | Andy Frankenberger | 18 |
| 3 | Mike Sexton | 9 |
| *4 | Sorel Mizzi | 8 |
| 5 | Ben Carpenter | 4 |
| *6 | Yevgeniy Timoshenko | 1 |
*denotes players still competing for points in Heat 3
All the action from the PartyPoker Premier League Mixed Game Championship can be found at PartyPoker.com.
Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza IV Update
The Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza IV is past the midway point as 25 of the 43 events had crowned winners through Monday. Among the notables taking down tournaments since our last update: Tyson Marks, Brent Hanks, and Eric Baldwin.
The series runs through Nov. 22 and concludes with a $2,500 Main Event. Here’s a look at the results since Nov. 5:
