Poker Players

Poker Player News

Rinat Bogdanov Wins World Poker Tour Venice, Christian Vanzieleghem Win Deepstack Tournament

Rinat Bogdanov has won the World Poker Tour Venice while Christian Vanzieleghem has won the European Deepstack Poker Championship V this past weekend.

The final table payouts were:

1: Rinat Bogdanov — $302,065

2: Alessandro Longobardi — $146,826

3: Andrea Dato — $95,003

4: Simon Ravnsbaek — $69,095

5. Gianluca Trebbi $56,134

6: Andrea Carini — $42,319

 

Submitted by Ace King on, Feb/13/2012

Poker Pro Mike Matusow Denies $700k Full Tilt Poker Debt Accusations

This week, the French suitors who are looking to acquire Full Tilt Poker blame its pros for essentially “holding up the deal”.  Those pros include the likes of Mike Matusow.

Mr. Matusow has since gone on the defensive, blasting the Groupe Bernard Tapie (GBT) claims that he personally owes $700,000 while the total debt amongst pros sits at a staggering $16.5 million.  Groupe Bernard Tapie says it planned to purchase the now shuttered FTP for $80 million.

Submitted by Ace King on, Feb/09/2012

Sex Offender Michael DeVita Ordered to be Compensated by Palms Casino Resort

The Nevada Gambling Control Board has order the Palms Casino Resort to compensate poker player Michael DeVita $18,500 after he was prevented from playing in the Epic Poker tournament main event.

Organizers learned that DeVita was a registered sex offender.   DeVita denied claims made by organizers that he had voluntarily elected to drop out of the main event.

Quadjacks.com, which first broke the story regarding the NGCB ruling, offered DeVita’s side of the story this past September.

Submitted by Ace King on, Feb/08/2012

Berndsen12 Battles Isildur1: Wins $299k

Online poker player Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen has been in a heated battle with Swedish sensation Isildur1, whose real name is Viktor Blom. 

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

The Dutch pro Berndsen claimed $299k Monday night. 

Here is how it all went down, courtesy of HighStakesDB.com

Submitted by Patrick Flanigan on, Feb/07/2012

Vadzim Kursevich Wins the 2012 EPT Deauville Main Event (Video)

Belarus-born Vadzim Kursevich has won the 2012 EPT Deauville Main Event and the €875,000 reward that comes with it. 

Prior to this win, Kursevich’s biggest showing was at the PokerStars EPT Berlin Season 7 EPT No Limit Hold’em Championship this past year.  He has enjoyed success since that time, coming in 3rd at the Grand Prix de Paris/WPT Event – Season 10 Pot Limit Omaha – Omaha Cup. 

Kursevich beat out little known player Paul Guichard, who enjoyed his first serious cashout on the live circuit, €557,000.

Submitted by Ace King on, Feb/06/2012

Phil Hellmuth’s $21k Super Bowl Loss

Poker pro extraordinaire Phil Hellmuth is also a sports bettor and he was tweeting throughout Super Bowl Sunday about placing wagers on the big game.  Sadly, Hellmuth came out a $21,000 loser.

Submitted by Ace King on, Feb/06/2012

Gus Hansen has Returned to Macau for the Big Games

After enjoying some success Down Under at the Aussie Millions, Danish poker superstar Gus Hansen is back in Macau for the big cash games.  Oh, and did we mention he lost $1.6 million?  Hansen did on his blog. 

Other players involved in the Macau big cash games include the likes of Andrew Robl, Sam Trickett, and John Juanda.

Trickett stated on his blog that he has never encountered such a huge pot as the one he witnessed while playing in Macau.  And apparently he’s doing well there.  

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Feb/06/2012

Lock Poker Signs Pedro "pls3betme" Maia

Lock is excited to announce the new addition to their LockPRO ELITE team. 

Submitted by Guest on, Feb/06/2012

Police Recover Funds Stolen During Jonathan Duhamel Home Invasion

Police announced Wednesday that they had uncovered approximately half of the funds belonging to 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel stolen from his home.

Submitted by Ace King on, Feb/01/2012

Chris Ferguson ‘Very Positive Dialog’ With DOJ

One of three individuals alleged to have taken part in an elaborate “ponzi scheme” while acting as a stakeholder in shuttered Full Tilt Poker believes he will soon have his case settled.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Jan/31/2012

Late Alan Meltzer Leaves $1.5m Fortune to Doorman, Driver: Nothing to Wife

The late music mogul and high stakes poker player Alan Meltzer left $1 million to his driver and $500,000 to his doorman, it was reported this weekend.

“I don't know what to do exactly with the money, but one thing I know for sure - every year, I'm going to bring the guy some flowers at his grave," chauffeur Jean Laborde, who received $1 million, or 10 per cent, from boss Alan Meltzer's $10 million estate, said.

"He was always joking. He never looked down on anybody,'' Laborde added. “He left me money, but it's not a good deal for me because it means he's no longer here.''

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/30/2012

2012 Aussie Millions Main Event Winner is Oliver Speidel

The 2010 Aussie Millions Main Event has been won by Olver Speidel of Melbourne, Australia.

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Speidel had 11 cashes and just over $229,000 in winnings on the live poker circuit coming into this event.  Last year, Speidel won the Aussie Millions No Limit Hold’em and netted just over $105,000.  He also won the Manny Pacquiao World Poker Event Main Event last month. 

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/29/2012

Phil Ivey Wins 2012 Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller: Patrik Antonius, Gus Hansen Cash

Poker phenom Phil Ivey has just won the 2012 Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller event after getting knocked out of the Main event early morning Sunday.  That turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  The take home prize - A$2,000,000.

“I got pretty deep in the Main, I got close, luckily I got knocked out in time to play this. It worked out,” said Ivey following his win. “It’s nice to be playing poker again. I took some time off, just came back to Macau, started playing and this is one of my first tournaments back so it’s nice to get back to winning.”

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/28/2012

Barry Denson Looking to Beat Phil Laak’s Record for Most Straight Hours of Playing Poker

Barry Denson announced he is readying to beat Phil Laak’s old Guinness record of 115 straight hours playing poker. 

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Jan/27/2012

Phil Ivey Down But Not Out at 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event

With just 12 players left at the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event, Saturday afternoon will featured six-handed play until only seven players remain. Those seven will play the official final table on Sunday afternoon.

One of those 7 players could be Phil Ivey, perhaps the most recognized name in the world of poker today.  Heading into Saturday, Ivey had the lowest number of chips among the remaining 12 players however.

Leading the pack was relative unknown Canadian players Yann Dion.

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/27/2012

Phil Ivey Going Strong at 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event

Poker pro Phil Ivey is among remaining 26 players at the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event.   

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Ivey has mostly been out of sight since the online poker room he represented, Full Tilt Poker, went under last summer.  He has also been embroiled in a high profile nasty divorce battle. 

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/26/2012

Tom Dwan on Full Tilt Poker: “There was Enough Mischievousness That They Did”

The man who promised to pay back players owed by Full Tilt Poker with over a million dollars of his own money if they failed to pay is probably wishing he hadn’t made such a rash promise.  After all, Tom Dwan had only signed on with FTP a few months prior to the company’s collapse post April 15 of this past year and the New Jersey-born player has yet to be implicated in any wrongdoing (unlike fellow FTP pros Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer). 

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/26/2012

Full Tilt Poker’s Chris Ferguson Allegedly Funneled $45 Million

US Feds allege Full Tilt Poker stakeholder and professional poker player Chris “Jesus” Ferguson was embroiled in an elaborate ponzi scheme.  Now it is being reported he funneled $45 million of his $60 million in Full Tilt distribution payments into bank accounts held for him in the name of Pocket Kings Ltd.

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/26/2012

Poker Pro Thor Hansen has Terminal Cancer

Norwegian poker pro Thor Harald Hansen has terminal cancer, it was revealed on Wednesday.  The 64-year-old player is one of Norway’s best known players, often referred to as “The Godfather of Poker”.

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Doctors have told Hansen he has no more than two years to live following the cancer’s spread to the lungs, liver and lymph nodes. 

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/25/2012

Aussie Millions 2012 Main Event: Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem and Erik Seidel Out

The third and final day of the Aussie Millions 2012 Main Event signup period witnessed the largest number of players at 317, bringing the total field to 657.  Tuesday’s play witnessed an epic showdown between one of poker’s elite Phil Ivey and Australian cricketer and 888.com Poker spokesperson Shane Warne.

From OnlinePoker.net:

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/25/2012

Lock Poker Elite Pro Jared Hubbard’s j-HU-b’s Challenge

Heads Up, Any Day, Every Day in February, at any Stakes !!!

25 January 2012 – London, UK: Online poker phenomenon and Lock Poker Elite Pro Jared ‘Jhub’ Hubbard is inviting his fans to battle with him Heads Up at any stake they wish every day this February.  The contest was announced by PokerFacePR (www.pokerfacepr.com) CEO Matthew Spurr.

Should the fan defy the odds and get the better of Jared he is graciously admitting defeat by offering them 30 minutes free coaching in whatever discipline they desire.

Submitted by Guest on, Jan/25/2012

Golden Opportunity: Jamie Gold’s $1000 an Hour Poker Coaching Gig

It came to light this week that 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Jamie Gold is now charging a $1000 per hour fee for his poker coaching and he appears to have some clientele.

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Submitted by Ace King on, Jan/24/2012

Low Turnout to Kick Off Aussie Millions 2012 Main Event

Speculation is that the $100k Challenge may have acted as a distraction for a number of the big name pros in attendance at this year’s Aussie Millions.  Day 1C was likely to attract a decent number of participants when compared to the lukewarm results of both Day 1a and Day 1b, as PokerListings.com can attest to:

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Jan/23/2012

Buyer of Peter Eastgate WSOP Charitable Bracelet Identified as William Haughey

Until recently, the buyer of 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Peter Eastgate’s bracelet has remained anonymous.  Now he’s finally stepped forward after over a year since the purchase to explain why he made the purchase.

William Haughey told PokerNews.com

Submitted by Patrick Flanigan on, Jan/23/2012

Dan Smith Wins Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge

Poker pro Dan Smith beat the likes of WSOP Main Event champ Joe Hachem and Danish pro Gus Hansen to win the Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge and the $1,012,000 that goes with it. 

Submitted by Patrick Flanigan on, Jan/23/2012

Phil Ivey Knocked Out of 2012 Aussie Millions $100K High Roller Event

Phil Ivey is the latest poker pro to make an appearance down under, taking part in the 2012 Aussie Millions $100K High Roller Event.

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Jan/22/2012

Joe Hachem Becomes New Ambassador of the Asian Poker Tour

2005 World Series of Poker Main Event winner, Joe Hachem, will now serve as Ambassador for the Asian Poker Tour.  Hachem recently parted ways with the world’s largest online poker room, PokerStars.  At the time of his departure, Hachem claimed he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Jan/22/2012

Aussie Millions Event 6 $1,100 NL Rebuy Won by Michael Pedley

Michael Pedley has won the Aussie Millions Event #6 $1,100 NL Rebuy and the $122,670 cash prize.  There were a total of 331 rebuys for this event. 

One of Pedley’s biggest cashouts to date was at the 39th World Series of Poker 2008 Main Event whereby he walked off with $35,383.  He actually finished in 242nd place. 

His biggest payday was at the 2008 Crown Aussie Millions Championship Event Number 5 – No Limit Hold’em.  Pedley walked away with $177, 011. 

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Jan/22/2012

Gus Hansen Prepares for Aussie Millions 2012 Following Huge Macau Winnings

Gus Hansen won big at last week’s Big Macau games and now he has his eyes set on the Aussie Millions 2012.

Hansen participated in a gruelling 24 hour high stakes poker game then immediately departed Macau en route to Melbourne $3.8 million richer. 

Submitted by Patrick Flanigan on, Jan/21/2012

No Official Word of Tom Dwan at Aussie Millions 2012: But He’s Been Spotted With Girlfriend

After taking a crack at the Macau Big Games, online high stakes poker phenom Tom “Durrrr” Dwan has headed down under to presumably take part in the 2012 Aussie Millions.

Poker.it spotted him there along with this girlfriend, who has been tweeting about their Australian trip.  The two were photographed in front of the Opera House. 

Tom Dwan in Australia: solo un caso?

Submitted by Patrick Flanigan on, Jan/19/2012

Breaking News