March 22 2012, Brett Collson

On Wednesday, Groupe Bernard Tapie Lawyer Behnam Dayanim told us there was no update regarding the company’s purchase of Full Tilt Poker. We did, however, discover some news involving FTP on Thursday. We’ll bring you that story and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

The 2012 PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney Main Event got under way on Thursday. Find out which players survived Day 1a in our ANZPT recap.

Reid Young is the author of The Blue Book: An Advanced Strategy Guide for No-Limit Hold’em Cash Games. This week, Young joined the Strategy with Kristy podcast to discuss advanced strategy involving showdown value, among other topics.

Last year, Stuart McDonald collected $87,129 at the Latin American Poker Tour event in Medellin, Colombia. PokerNews recently caught up with the Australian pro in Vina del Mar, Chile, to find out what he’s been up to since his big score.

Why are protesters fighting to keep “Eurovegas” out of Madrid? Find out in the latest Inside Gaming.

Andrew Lichtenberger cracked the Top 10 of the Global Poker Index this week. Mickey Doft takes a look at the biggest movers and shakers on the GPI.

Season 5 of the PokerStars.net Latin American Poker Tour kicked off in Chile on Wednesday. Get the details from Vina del Mar in our LAPT recap.

FTP, PokerStars and AP Given More Time to Respond

While the world continued waiting for the pending deal between Groupe Bernard Tapie and Full Tilt Poker to be completed this week, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York granted another extension to FTP and other respondents of an amended civil complaint regarding last April’s Black Friday indictments.

After the previous deadline of March 19 passed, PokerStars, Absolute Poker, Howard Lederer, Ray Bitar, Rafe Furst and payment processor Chad Elie were given until May 14, 2012 file a response. The extension is another on a growing list since the respondents’ original response date of the indictment passed on Nov. 30, 2011.

Read more at PokerNews.com.

Adios, Bodog

Bodog was back in the news this week after announcing that it is exiting the Spanish market ahead of the country’s new gambling market. The company released a statement to players in Spain about the decision:

“We would like to inform you that due to recent regulatory changes, we are no longer able to offer our betting or wagering services to residents of Spain or Spanish territories. Your account will be disabled on the 31st of March 2012 and as of today; you are no longer able to make any further deposits to your account.”

The new gambling regulations in Spain are expected to go into effect later this year. More than 60 companies have applies for operating licenses. Among the online poker rooms interested in the space include PokerStars, bwin.party, 888 and Ladbrokes. Groupe Bernard Tapie also reportedly submitted an application before the Dec. 14, 2011 deadline.

Bwin.Party Launches iPad App

This week, bwin.party digital entertainment became the latest online gaming operator to launch a real money poker app for the iPad. The release comes more than a year after the company unveiled a real money platform for iPhone and Android devices. The iPad software is based on those models.

“The bwin iPad Poker app gives bwin.com customers unrestricted access to the bwin poker account – now with the full iPad resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels,” said Berthold Kao, head of bwin.party’s mobile, touch and video department.

“The bwin iPad Poker app extends our lead in mobile entertainment on tablet devices and builds on our hugely successful iPhone Poker app that bwin.party designs with its own mobile development teams. Together with the bwin Sports App for pre-event and live betting enthusiasts and several Casino games for Android and iPhone as well as Java based phones, we now offer our customers an exciting portfolio of games.”

The app can be downloaded from the iTunes Store or the Bwin website, with one download covering both the iPhone and iPad versions of the game.

Visit bwinparty.com for more information.

WSOP Circuit Heads to California

On Thursday, the World Series of Poker announced (albeit in bizarre, satirical way) that poker pro Gavin Smith will participate in the three-day $1,600 buy-in World Series of Poker Circuit Event at Harrah’s Rincon starting this Saturday, March 25. Smith, who has more than $4 million in live tournament earnings, is known for his easygoing personality and propensity for side bets at the table. He’s also been known to have a drink or two.

WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla had some fun at Smith’s expense in a press release, saying “No matter what happens in the Main Event, Smith is certain to make a major impact at Harrah’s Rincon. Two extra bartenders and three additional cocktail waitresses have been hired for the occasion. The credit manager has also been put on alert.”

Last year, Seneca Easley took down the $1,600 Main Event at Harrah’s Rincon, besting a field of 188 players that included Dwyte Pilgrim, Jerry Yang, Allen Kessler, Phil Hellmuth, Dennis Phillips, Adam Levy, and Poker News’ Kristy Arnett. Easley won $70,384 and a seat into the WSOP Circuit National Championship freeroll, a prize that will go to this year’s winner, as well.

PokerNews will be providing live coverage of the WSOP Circuit event in Rincon, so check our Live Reporting page when the action kicks off on Saturday!

Welcome to Sydney!

The PokerStars.net ANZPT is in Sydney, Australia, this week. PokerNews’ Lynn Gilmartin toured the city to show off her favorite spots.

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March 21 2012, Chad Holloway

Season 5 of the PokerStars.net Latin American Poker Tour kicked off on Wednesday at the Enjoy Casino & Resort in Vina del Mar, Chile. This marked the third time the LAPT had visited the “Vineyard by the Sea,” and the second time since 2010 when a tragic earthquake forced the cancellation of the event.

Last year, a massive field of 621 players took to the felt, constituting the largest LAPT event in history up until that point. Brazilian Murilo Figueredo won that event for $146,000 and set the stage for this year’s highly anticipated tournament.

Day 1a ended up drawing players from as far away as the United States, New Zealand and Australia, who combined with the hundreds of players from South America to form a world-class tournament. When registration closed, the official number of players was 284, a number that ought to be eclipsed by Day 1b’s field. In fact, officials and players alike are waiting with bated breath to see if 338 register, which would surpass last year’s total.

Day 1a kicked off with a bang as Daniela Horno, who finished in sixth place in this very event last year, got off to a quick start and established herself as the early chip leader. In one of her more significant hands, a player in middle position limped and was met with a raise to 1,450 by Horno in late position. The big blind then brought it in for a three-bet to 4,000 and the limper got out of the way. The details are sketchy at that point as the action happened so fast, but the big blind ended up all in preflop for around 20,000.

Showdown

Horno was in a dominating spot, though the flop gave her opponent some hope and he began calling for a jack. Unfortunately for him, and much to Horno’s delight, neither the turn nor river were a jack. With that, Horno eliminated her opponent and took down the massive pot, bringing her stack to over 60,000.

Horno continued to climb, throughout the day, and ended with 122,200. That was a big stack, but not nearly as big as the chip leader, Waldermar Barrientos, who bagged up 140,300. Other players who advanced to Day 2 included twin brothers Luis Perez (59,300) and Carlos Perez (36,700); former LAPT final tablist Brent Sheirbon (56,100) and reigning LAPT Player of the Year Pablo Gonzalez (32,500).

Unfortunately not everyone was so lucky. A plethora of notables hit the rail throughout the ten levels of play including James Honeybone, Jonathan Markovits, Brian Gitter, Stuart McDonald, Rodrigo Arguello, Jamie Atelenoff and Team PokerStars Pros Freddy Torres (Online) and Leo Fernandez (Argentina).

The PokerNews Live Reporting Team didn’t catch Fernandez’s elimination during Level 8, but were later told that he had moved all in from late position for around 19,000 after an under-the-gun player had opened with a raise. Claudio Lopez then made the call while the original raiser got out of the way. Fernandez rolled over , which was way behind Lopez’s . The board ran out king high and the Team Pro made his way to the rail.

Not long after, Fernandez’s tablemate, Julian Menendez, followed him out the door. It happened when a player in middle position opened to 2,000, Menendez three-bet to 5,500 from the cutoff, the button and blinds both folded, the original raiser called and the flop fell . It was checked to Menendez who took about 30 seconds before announcing he was all in (for roughly 29,000). His opponent snap-called and tabled for ace high with the nut flush draw.

Menendez had outs, but trailed with . Unfortunately for him, he found no help from the turn or river and the Season 4 LAPT Colombia champion was eliminated from the tournament.

Joining Barrientos and Horno toward the top of the chip counts are Jaime Farriol (128,300), Sebastian Rios (126,200) and Carlos Munoz (124,100).

End of Day 1a Chip Counts

The 89 remaining players will return on Friday for Day 2, and a whole new set of players will take their seats at 1200 CLST (0800 PDT)for Day 1b. Of course you can follow all the action right here on PokerNews as we patrol the floors of the Enjoy Casino & Resort for all the latest and greatest poker action.

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