Schnellback, who plays online as QQ_More_Plz, admitted he got lucky in the freeroll offered by Full Tilt Poker. He won a $12,500 package that includes a seat into the WSOP* main event.
When asked about the overall playing level of the field the 31-year-old husband and father of two was humble.
"I am not exactly a judge of tournament skill, so I really couldn't tell you," he said. "I don't claim to be a skilled tournament player. I am quite new to them. I do think I had a lot of luck."
Schnellback hails from northern Ontario, in Canada, and works as a computer technician but decided to take a year off to stay home with his kids. It might turn out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.
In the final hand of the tournament QQ_More_Plz had his opponent severely out-chipped and raised with A-K off-suit. His opponent moved all-in with J-7 and nothing developed on the board giving Schnellback the pot and the tournament.
Schnellback has only been playing poker for few months now but in the past spent time as a casino dealer where he always enjoyed dealing poker. Schnellback had tried playing poker at another online room but couldn't get into it. Finally he found a home at Full Tilt Poker.
"I created my account only a week ago so I am quite new to it but I like the volume of players that play there," he explained. "Always a great selection of games to choose from."
Schnellback has only been to Las Vegas once so he's in for an exciting summer.
"This freeroll grand prize is bigger than anything I have ever dreamed of winning in poker," he said. "I only played nickels before this. I haven't been able to stop thinking about [the Main Event] since I won the seat."
Schnellback went on to say that he's looking forward to possibly sitting down with big-name players like Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu but at the same time he's happy if he can avoid the really great players altogether.
"If the pro beats me I can say it took that kind of caliber a player to beat me and if I beat them my grandkids are going to hear about it!" he said.
To learn more about qualifying for this summer's WSOP click here.
*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerListings.com or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.
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Players head to Poland for EPT event
This is the second year for the EPT at Casinos Poland in historic Warsaw, the capital and largest city of Poland. Last year's Season 3 event was a late addition to the EPT schedule after the French Open at Deauville had to be cancelled.
The 2008 Polish Open features a buy-in of 21,000 PLN (approx. €5,750), up from 15,000 PLN the year before, and the field is capped at 400 players. Well over a quarter of those seats are reserved for players who qualified through PokerStars satellites and members of Team PokerStars.
Among those players is Katja Thater, who topped all Team PokerStars players in Warsaw last year when she finished fifth out of 284 entrants. Already confirmed to join Thater in her quest for the final table are teammates Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, Luca Pagano and Dario Minieri.
Last year's 15,000 PLN Polish Open drew a field of 284 entries, building a prize pool of 4,007,000 PLN ($1,357,799). Seven European nations were represented at the final table, but host nation Poland was not among them.
The final saw Denmark's Peter Willers Jepsen take down the biggest tournament score of his career when he outlasted France's Farid Meraghni in a 90-minute, back-and-forth heads-up battle for the championship. The final table ended up looking like this:
| Place | Name | Prize |
| 1st | Peter Willers Jepsen | 1,226,711 PLN ($415,679) |
| 2nd | Farid Meraghni | 708,225 PLN ($239,987) |
| 3rd | John Conroy | 424,935 PLN ($143,992) |
| 4th | Marius Skoglund Torbergsen | 303,525 PLN ($102,851) |
| 5th | Katja Thater | 250,914 PLN ($85,024) |
| 6th | Andrew O'Flaherty | 198,303 PLN ($67,196) |
| 7th | Patrick Martenson | 157,833 PLN ($53,483) |
| 8th | Frederik Hostrup | 113,316 PLN ($38,398) |
As usual with stops on the EPT, the week of poker kicks off with a welcome party for the players the night before the tournament. Tonight's party is at Foksal, Poland's premier nightclub, where PokerStars will provide free food and drinks as well as a DJ.
In addition to the largest share of a prize pool chock full of Polish zlotys, whoever emerges victorious in Warsaw will claim the next-to-last remaining free seat in the Grand Final available on the Season 4 EPT schedule. The EPT San Remo event in Italy next month will award the last freeroll in the EPT's big bash in Monte Carlo.
Most stops on the EPT are filmed for broadcast on the tour's television series, but this year's Polish Open will not be televised. Luckily for you, our loyal readers, PokerListings.com's crack reporting team will be on the scene in Warsaw to keep us apprised of who's on top, who's on the rail, and what poker looks like in the heart of modern Poland.
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New Mexico election decided by poker game
Only in the United States could an election be decided by a poker game. Surprisingly, though, it wasn’t in Nevada. Josie Richards won a game of five-card stud — with a pair of nines — to claim the seat of town trustee in Estancia, New Mexico. According ��...full article
Only in the United States could an election be decided by a poker game. Surprisingly, though, it wasn’t in Nevada.
Josie Richards won a game of five-card stud — with a pair of nines — to claim the seat of town trustee in Estancia, New Mexico.
According to wickedchopspoker.com:
Richards and her opponent Michelle Dunlap, another woman, ended up in a draw after a vote for the position, and under New Mexico law, in the event of a tie, the winner is chosen by a game of chance.
This wasn’t the first time poker has settled an election draw in Estancia. In 2001, the mayor of Estancia James Farrington was re-elected to the town’s top job when he won a single hand of poker against JoAnn Carlson, a woman, with an ace-high flush. She drew a 10-high flush.
For a video of the game, go here.
Urindanger, guaranteed376 swap $100k pots
And when you lose one, you just keep playing until one comes back your way apparently.
So it went again last night and into the wee hours of this morning for high-stakes regulars Di "Urindanger" Dang and guaranteed376, who went toe-to-toe in a session of $300/$600 No-Limit Hold'em at Full Tilt Poker, swapping $100k pots like they were nothing more than old hockey cards.
Both have been very active at the high-stakes tables in the last few weeks. Dang, in fact, was coming off an epic nine-hour session the night before with another online rival, x13full, which ended with him up well over $100k.
guaranteed376 has had a lineup of high-stakes regulars a mile long waiting to take him on since a big session with Phil Ivey a few weeks ago, and has obliged most of them willingly, regardless of outcome.
Total results for their latest session are unknown, but the two definitely teed off on each other in some big pots.
Each took their fair share, but a $163,997 pot to guaranteed376 with pocket queens was the biggest of the session, and biggest Hold'em pot of the week so far.
How the action went down:
Full Tilt Poker Game #5613256419 TABLE: Halbert (heads up) $300/$600 - No Limit Hold'em - Wed Mar 12th 2008 - 11:59pm ET
Seat 1: Urindanger - $81,998.50
Seat 2: guaranteed376 - $106,191
Urindanger posts the small blind of $300
guaranteed376 posts the big blind of $600
The button is in seat #1
Preflop
Urindanger raises to $1,800
guaranteed376 raises to $6,800
Urindanger calls $5,000
Flop #6h-#7s-#8c
guaranteed376 checks
Urindanger has 15 seconds left to act
Urindanger bets $9,800
guaranteed376 has 15 seconds left to act
guaranteed376 has requested TIME
guaranteed376 raises to $43,000
Urindanger has 15 seconds left to act
Urindanger raises to $75,198.50, and is all in
guaranteed376 calls $32,198.50
Urindanger shows #Ah-#9h
Guaranteed376 shows #Qs-#Qd
Turn #6s
River #3h
Urindanger shows a pair of Sixes
guaranteed376 shows two pair, Queens and Sixes
guaranteed376 wins the pot ($163,996.50) with two pair, Queens and Sixes
Urindanger adds $12,000
Summary
Total pot $163,997 | Rake $0.50
Board: #6h-#7s-#8c-#6s-#3h
Seat 1: Urindanger (small blind) showed #Ah-#9h and lost with a pair of Sixes.
Seat 2: guaranteed376 (big blind) showed #Qs-#Qd and won ($163,996.50) with two pair, Queens and Sixes.
To see more big pots between the two from that session and more of the top 100 biggest hold'em pots won online over the last day, week and month, jump to the PokerListings.com MarketPulse section.
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#359 – NBC Heads-Up Championship #10 – Spades Wrap-Up
We’re less than an hour from starting the second round (a/k/a “round of 32”) and I still want to post a preview of the coming matches, so let me summarize very briefly how the Spades bracket sorted itself out last...
EU may file complaint against U.S. concerning Internet gambling
The European Union launched an investigation Monday into U.S. laws on Internet gambling, according to a story by The Associated Press. European betting companies are complaining that the United States’ actions against them are infringing world trade rules. As a result, the EU may file a complaint ��...full article
The European Union launched an investigation Monday into U.S. laws on Internet gambling, according to a story by The Associated Press.
European betting companies are complaining that the United States’ actions against them are infringing world trade rules.
As a result, the EU may file a complaint at the World Trade Organization in the latest international argument about online gambling.
According to the AP story:
“The U.S. has the right to address legitimate public policy concerns relating to Internet gambling, but discrimination against EU companies cannot be part of the policy mix,” said EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. He said he hoped the issue could be resolved amicably.
European companies claim a U.S. ban that forced them out of the lucrative American market discriminates against them in violation of WTO rules, while permitting domestic gambling companies, particularly those offering betting on horse races, to flourish.
In 2006, the WTO had ruled against a U.S. ban that stops American banks and credit card companies from processing payments to online gambling businesses outside the country.
In December, Antigua and Barbuda won a ruling against the U.S. in a similar case. The small Caribbean nation won the right to impose yearly sanctions of $21 million (€14 million) against the U.S. for its restrictions on online betting. However, the country was seeing $3.4 billion in damages.
Trojan program used to see hole cards identified
A story at TechRadar.com claims that trojan programs are being used to steal — perhaps millions of dollars — via online poker. Mikko Hyppönen, the chief research officer at the security software company F-Secure said his company recently investigated a case where a player lost hundreds ��...full article
A story at TechRadar.com claims that trojan programs are being used to steal — perhaps millions of dollars — via online poker.
Mikko Hyppönen, the chief research officer at the security software company F-Secure said his company recently investigated a case where a player lost hundreds of thousands of Euros in this manner:
“Online poker players are a massive target for hackers,” Hyppönen said “…We were just investigating a case where a professional online poker player was attacked by someone he would play against regularly online. And we’re talking about professional players, and big money. Hundreds of thousands of euros on the table at a time.”
Hyppönen says that the one player lost hundreds of thousands of euros over a short time to some suspicious play, and when they investigated what was happening, they realized that the player’s software had been hacked so that another player could see his hole cards.
“[W]hen we looked into it we realized that one of the other players at the table had sent him a tool. A calculator to help optimize the poker playing or whatever. And we found that the application included a Trojan.”
“Which means that when he was playing online poker against these people who were in another country, the guy could press a button and he would receive a screenshot of the target’s screen. So he sees the hole cards. If you’re playing poker and the other players know your cards, it’s pretty hard to win.”
Whole story on techradar.com here.
New WSOP rule limits celebration in 2008
The floor shows of the likes of Hevad Khan and Humberto Brenes most likely won’t be on display at the 2008 edition of the World Series of Poker. If they do, they might find themselves on the rail. Harrah’s Entertainment released the 2008 edition of its ��...full article
The floor shows of the likes of Hevad Khan and Humberto Brenes most likely won’t be on display at the 2008 edition of the World Series of Poker. If they do, they might find themselves on the rail.
Harrah’s Entertainment released the 2008 edition of its rulebook, which included this entry, which is obviously aimed at stopping the ridiculous yet entertaining outbursts on the poker room floor during WSOP events:
“Excessive celebration through extended theatrics, inappropriate behavior, or physical actions, gestures, or conduct may be subject to penalty. Any player that engages a member of the tournament staff during the celebration or utilizes any property of Harrah’s will be penalized in accordance with Rules No. 31 and/or 51. Harrah’s property includes but is not limited to chairs, tournament tables, and stanchions.” ? Rule No. 36
Here are some other interesting rule changes, listed at cardplayer.com:
“Floor People: Floor People are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floor person’s decision is final.” ? Rule No. 44
“A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play and no refund will be provided to that disqualified player. Any player who forfeits play for health or other personal reasons after the start of a tournament will have his or her chips blinded off accordingly.” ? Rule No. 52
Nixed Rule:
Last year’s controversial rule that stated, “At the end of a hand, if a player exposes one hole card, he or she must also show the other hole card if asked to do so by any player,” has been removed. Players will now be allowed to show only one card, but only after the hand is over.
Cell Phones and Electronic Devices:
The cell-phone rule is further clarified in that they cannot be used unless the player is at least one table-length away from his assigned table. Players who use the phone at the table will have their hand killed or receive a missed-hand penalty if not involved in a hand. Players should also take note that electronic devices are prohibited that can access the Internet, send or receive SMS texts, or have communication devices. Blackberrys, iPhones, iTouch, and Treos will not be allowed at the table.
You can find a listing of all the rules for 2008 here.
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