July 26 2012, Brett Collson

It was a busy day in the world of poker. A Black Friday defendant received a prison sentence, and Nevada issued another online gaming license ahead of legalized online poker in the state. We’ll cover those stories and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

Day 1c of the 2012 PokerStars.net Australia New Zealand Poker Tour Queenstown Snowfest Main Event played out on Thursday. Get all the details in our daily ANZPT recap.

Black Friday payment processor Ira Rubin has been sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to forfeit $5 million. Read the latest on the story here at PokerNews.com.

Once again, Jason Mercier occupied the top spot in the Global Poker Index. But is his lead safe for one more week? Mickey Doft breaks down the biggest movers and shakers of the GPI.

Are you planning a trip to Merit Crystal Cove for the upcoming World Poker Tour Cyprus Main Event? Lynn Gilmartin tells you everything you need to know about the all-inclusive resort in the latest PokerNews Jet Set.

Marcel Luske has joined forces with Pierre Neuville to launch a new board game for poker players. Chad Holloway caught up with Luske to find out about the game called PokerChamp.

Shuffle Master Receives Online Gaming License in Nevada

On Thursday, gaming supplier Shuffle Master received a license from the Nevada Gaming Commission to be a manufacturer and provider of interactive gaming systems in Nevada.

Shuffle Master becomes the third company to receive an interactive gaming license in the state. Slot machine suppliers IGT and Bally Technologies were granted licenses last month. More than 30 other companies, including casino giants Caesars and MGM, have submitted similar applications with the state Control Board.

As a business-to-business provider, Shuffle Master will offer online poker and other interactive games to Nevada casinos looking to compete in the market. The next step for the company is to have its technology tested by the board and the state before it is given authorization to provide real-money games.

Irish online bookmaker Paddy Power also met with the state Gaming Commission on Thursday and received a “preliminary finding of suitability.” Paddy Power doesn’t have any current gaming interests in Nevada, but the company has two years to explore opportunities in the state.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has more.

Lessons From a Poker Brat

Now that he’s earned his record-setting 12th World Series of Poker bracelet, Phil Hellmuth is focusing his efforts on charity work. (Well, and the London Olympics).

Through Charitybuzz.com, Hellmuth is auctioning off a two-hour poker lesson and dinner with him in Las Vegas, plus a two-night stay at the brand new Aria Sky Suites. All proceeds will benefit Peace Through Sports, an organization that brings children of different nationalities and races together while they play side-by-side in sports.

The highest bid for the package as of Thursday was $16,000. The auction ends Tuesday, July 31 at 15:00 ET.

Hellmuth is also gearing up for his annual Hellmuth’s Hold’em with Agrace HospiceCare, a charity tournament held in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. Last year’s event raised $110,000 and attracted poker pros Annette Obrestad, Anthony “D1rtyR1v3r” Nardi and Mark “P0ker H0″ Kroon. Gavin Smith, Jerry Yang, and many others are confirmed for this year’s event on Aug. 18 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

For more on Hellmuth’s auction, visit Charitybuzz.com. Information about Hellmuth’s Hold’em with Agrace HospiceCare tournament can be found at agracehospicecare.org.

Zynga Confirms Real-Money Ambitions

Social gaming behemoth Zynga is planning to launch real-money gaming in the first half of 2013, CEO Mark Pincus said during the company’s quarterly earnings conference call on Tuesday.

Pincus has said publicly for months that real-money gaming would be a “natural fit” for Zynga but it wasn’t until this week that he announced a prospective launch date. Zynga’s revenue plummeted in the second quarter of 2012, mostly due to a significant drop in customer purchases, and online gambling – including poker – could give a boost to the company’s earnings.

“What we’ve said, and what we have to announce today, is that we have our first products in development and that we intend to release them in markets that are regulated and open, subject to our getting licensing,” Pincus said on Tuesday.

Earlier this week, eGaming Review reported that a number have companies have shown interest in working with Zynga to provide real-money gambling. Zynga is also reportedly the frontrunner to acquire the Ongame Network from bwin.party, a move that would bolster Zynga’s real-money poker platform.

Pincus said that the real-money gaming launch would initially occur outside of the U.S. where laws permit gambling on the internet.

Venture Beat has more.

Changes at the AGCC

In the wake of the debacle at Full Tilt Poker, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has announced a number of amendments to its Alderney eGambling Regulations of 2009.

The most notable change made by the regulatory body involved the segregation of player funds. Beginning next year, all operators licensed by the AGCC will be forced to hold all customer deposits in a segregated account that is separate from the business’ operating or current account. Licensees will also be required to submit monthly reports to the AGCC detailing the total amount of funds held on behalf of customers and the balance of all bank accounts where the funds are being held.

While licensed with the AGCC, Full Tilt Poker continuously reported funds that were not available because of several problems with payment processors. Full Tilt was fusing player deposits with its marketing and operating funds, all while lining the pockets of board members Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Ray Bitar. Full Tilt Poker still owes customers an estimated $330 million.

Read the full AGCC amendment document at gamblingcontrol.org.

Party In Queenstown Video

Poker is serious business on the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour. That is, until the PokerStars player party kicks off. Nicki Pickering hit the bar to scope out the scene.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

July 23 2012, Chad Holloway

Last Sunday night, the World Poker Tour continued on Fox Sports Network with a new episode from Season X. Last week, part one of the Bay 101 Shooting Star from the Bay 101 Casino in San Jose, California, aired. The $10,000 tournament, which drew 364 players and created a prize pool of $3,458,000, originally took place from March 5 through 9, 2012, and offered a $5,000 bounty on the “Shooting Star” participants.

Part one showcased the early stages of the tournament, as well as the rise of amateur jeweler Moon Kim as the chip leader. It happened after he won a decent pot off Erik Cajelais and then raised to 58,000 with in another hand. Cajelais called holding , and then the flop saw the Canadian call a bet of 80,000 before firing out 165,000 when Kim checked the turn. Kim made the call and checked the river, opening the door for Cajelais to put out a hefty bet of 325,000. Kim thought for a few moments before making the call and by doing so he took down the 1,316,000 pot and moved into the chip lead.

Here is a look at how things stacked up at the final table.

2012 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Final Table

First Hand: With the blinds at 15,000/30,000 and a 5,000 ante, Joseph Elpayaa raised to 65,000 under the gun with only to have Ubaid Habib three-bet to 165,000 from the button with . Cajelais, the only player at the final table who didn’t collect a Shooting Star bounty in the tournament, then looked down at in the small blind and thought a long time before four-betting to . Elpayaa quickly got out of the way, and Habib folded soon after.

Elpayaa Gets Lucky to Double: Habib looked down at and raised to 100,000. Elpayaa then moved all in from the big blind for 850,000, and Habib made the call. The latter was on his feet while Elpayaa stayed seated. The flop gave Elpayaa the lead with a pair of tens and made him a 78 percent favorite, but the turn stole the from Habib’s outs. The river was of no consequence, and Elpayaa doubled to 1.75 million.

Between a Serock and a Hard Place: In the very next hand, Elpayaa raised to 105,000 from the hijack only to have Joe Serock three-bet to 600,000 from the cutoff. The rest of the field folded, Elpayaa moved all in, and Serock called off for 870,000 total.

Showdown

It was a classic race, but not after the flop fell . Serock flopped a set to become a 98 percent favorite, meaning Elpayaa needed runner-runner to eliminate his foe. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t in the cards because the appeared on the turn, followed by the river.

Short Stacks Battle: With the blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a 5,000 ante, Elpayaa moved all in under the gun for 685,000 with and cleared the field all the way around to a short-stacked Andrew Badecker who looked down at and called off from the big blind. Elpayaa had just a 13 percent chance of winning the hand, and since he had Badecker covered, he’d be left with around 30,000 if he failed to improve.

The Ac} flop wasn’t particularly interesting, but it did give Elpayaa runner-runner draws to both a straight and flush. With that said, those hopes were quickly dashed when the turned and left Elpayaa drawing dead. The meaningless was put out on the river and Badecker raked in the 1.355 million pot.

Joe Elpayaa Eliminated in Sixth Place: After Habib had limped with , Badecker moved all-in for 1.35 million from the small blind with . Elpayaa was already all-in from the big blind and sitting with , which made him a 61 percent favorite after Habib got out of the way. Nonetheless, Elpayaa was out of his seat and prepared to leave when the flop came down . Badecker hit his jack to take the lead, and the turn meant Elpayaa needed an ace on the river to stay alive. The dealer burned and put out the , sending Elpayaa to the rail in sixth place for $128,200. Interestingly, Elpayaa refused to give an exit interview to sideline reporter Matt Savage.

WPT Silicon Valley Poker Challenge: During the same week at the Bay 101 Shooting Star, a charity event was held to benefit the WPT Foundation and featured tech executives taking on top poker pros. Steve Metzger (CEO, VT&T), Jack Tretton (CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment), Stephen Dewitt (SVP & GM, HP), Tony Jeffries (Partner, Wilson Sonsin Goodrich Rosati) and Nancy Albertini (CEO, Albertini Group) were among those who took on the pros including Phil Hellmuth, Dwyte Pilgrim, Vanessa Rousso, Faraz Jaka, Mike Matusow, Daniel Negreanu and Maria Ho, just to name a few.

It was a jovial atmosphere, but everyone was competitive. When all was said and done, it was tech exec and CFO & SVP, Crodflower, Rich Arnold, who emerged as champion. To learn more about the charity, visit WPTFoundation.org.

Andrew Badecker Eliminated in Fifth Place: Badecker looked down at on the button, and he raised to 130,000 only to have Kim move all in from the big blind with . Badecker snap-called off for 1.61 million, and it was off to the races.

Kim was on his feet when the flop came down , giving Badecker a pair of aces and a 71 percent lead. “Yes,” Kim said as he fist pumped after the spiked on the turn to give him a wheel. Just like that, Badecker went from a huge favorite to drawing at a four for a chop. The river was not what he needed, and Badecker exited in fifth place for $192,300 while Kim was pushed the 3.3 million pot.

“Started off the final table pretty card dead. Went down a little ways, but caught some cards and got back up,” Badecker said in his post-elimination interview. “Thought I had a good chance, and definitely did if I’d won that pot, but lost a coin flip and that’s what happens sometimes.”

One to Watch: “There are a few people I deserve to be a bounty over,” said Ones to Watch Dan O’Brien when explaining why he wasn’t a Shooting Star Bounty. “Men Nguyen. Who cares about Men Nguyen anymore? Are we serious? People still think this guy’s any good, he’s terrible.”

Serock Doubles Yet Again: Serock looked down at under the gun and min-raised to 120,000, which cleared the field all the way to Cajelais in the big blind. He opted to move all in with and Serock snap-called off his stack of 870,000.

Serock was a 75 percent favorite and primed to move into third chip position, which increased to 90 percent when the flop fell . Cajelais was in need of some major help, and found a little as the turn opened up some chop options. Fortunately for Serock, that wasn’t the case as the peeled off on the river, prompting him to give a little fist pump and let a big smile cross his face.

Tune in Next Week: Part III of the Bay 101 Shooting Star is set to air on Sunday, July 29, on FSN, so be sure to check your local listings. If by chance you miss it, check back next week for the latest recap of all the action right here on PokerNews.

Past WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Champions

Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook now!

*Picture courtesy of World Poker Tour.

Follow Chad Holloway on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!