Poker pro Jennifer Harman is hosting a $10 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament on Full Tilt Poker this week to benefit the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Half of the proceeds from the event, to be held this Sunday, March 16 at 9 ��...full article
Poker pro Jennifer Harman is hosting a $10 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament on Full Tilt Poker this week to benefit the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Half of the proceeds from the event, to be held this Sunday, March 16 at 9 p.m. EST., will go to the organization
According to cardplayer.com:
As one of the founding Team Full Tilt members, Harman has rounded up a few other teammates to play in the event, including Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, John Juanda, Phil Gordon, Erick Lindgren, Erik Seidel, Clonie Gowen, Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Gus Hansen, Allen Cunningham, and Kristy Gazes.
Also scheduled to compete in the event is professional motocross champion Jimmy “BTNFLY” Button, professional snowboarders Jeff “SMAKEbreak” Brushie, Ross Powers, and Kris “WheatSApuff” Swierz, as well as X-Games wakeboard medalists Parks “pbpbpb” Bonifay, Shane “jeanyes407” Bonifay, and Danny “d9bigtime” Harf.
Half of the prize pool will be donated to the NSPCA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting humane education and making referrals for lower-cost spay/neuter and vaccination services. The no-kill sanctuary fights to save animals from eradication, and the Animal Lovers event is looking to enhance the organization’s ability to expand facilities and services in order to protect hundreds of animals.
Registration for the tournament is already open. If you want to join FTP to play in the tournament, you can use the referral code “ANIMALLOVERS” to benefit the NSPCA.
Huck Seed wins Canadian Open
Huck Seed, the 1996 World Series of Poker main event champion, won the 2008 Canadian Open Poker Championship in Calgary, Alberta. Seed wrapped up the win on Sunday for the $100,000 first prize. The win comes on the heels of his third-place finish at the 2008 ��...full article
Huck Seed, the 1996 World Series of Poker main event champion, won the 2008 Canadian Open Poker Championship in Calgary, Alberta.
Seed wrapped up the win on Sunday for the $100,000 first prize. The win comes on the heels of his third-place finish at the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship
According to wickedchopspoker.com:
The tournament was a $5,000 buy-in event featuring 128 players competing in a heads-up format. Among the big name pros who competed were Bill Edler, Mel Judah, Gavin Smith, Antonio Esfandiari, Greg Mueller, Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly, a woman.
Seed, who first/last hit it big when he won the 1996 WSOP Main Event, was up against Canadian poker pro Brad “Yukon” Booth at the final table, and came away the victor, if you some how didn’t read between the lines of this post. For the win, Seed takes home $100,000. Booth cashes $50,160.
“This was an amazing tournament in terms of both structure and quality of players” said Seed after his win. “I love it when the cream rises to the top and I get a chance to play with the best in the world. I am so happy that I finally won a heads up tournament!”
Gavin Smith took fourth in the event, and 2005 WSOP Main Event champ Joe Hachem finished sixth.
For more on the tournament go here.
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.
HPT crowns winner in Iowa
Jesse Green, a farmer from Harcourt, Iowa, had plans to vacation in Cancun, Mexico. His decision to stay at home and enter the $1,000 HPT event proved to be a good one when he finished in first place, taking home $80,664 for the win.
"This was really awesome," Green told the HPT after his win. "And it was especially great that my dad could be here to watch the whole thing."
It was Green's father who taught him to play Seven-Card Stud during the long Iowa winters of his childhood.
"I owe it all to my dad," said Green.
Along with the lion's share of the prize pool, Green won a $3,000 seat in the HPT championship to be held at Majestic Star Casino in Gary, Ind., this November.
The HPT main event at Meskwaki drew a field of 189 players, building a $271,881 prize pool. In the end, 30 players cashed in the season's second event.
The final standings came out like this:
| Place | Name | Prize |
| 1st | Jesse Green | $80,664 |
| 2nd | Mark Cornelius | $40,332 |
| 3rd | Pat Schroeder | $24,199 |
| 4th | Dan Quade | $18,882 |
| 5th | Dave Westrum | $16,133 |
| 6th | Larry Barbetta | $13,444 |
There was a bit more experience at the Meskwaki final table than there had been two weeks earlier at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. Professional poker player Dan Quade, the fourth-place finisher, and technology entrepreneur Larry Barbetta, who finished sixth, both earned their fourth career HPT cash at Meskwaki.
Fifth-place finisher Dave Westrum, meanwhile, became the only player to cash at both HPT Season 4 events held to date (he finished 11th at Grand Casino Mille Lacs).
The HPT returns to action next at Golden Gates Casino in Black Hawk, Colo. Preliminary events will begin March 29, with the main event beginning April 11.
Related Article: HPT Returns for Third Season
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Massachusetts online poker ban may lack votes
The chairman of the state house of Massachussetts’ Economic Development Committee says few members have changed their minds about a proposed casino bill that would ban online poker and gambling in the state. Rep. Daniel Bosley will preside over a hearing on March 18 about the ��...full article
The chairman of the state house of Massachussetts’ Economic Development Committee says few members have changed their minds about a proposed casino bill that would ban online poker and gambling in the state.
Rep. Daniel Bosley will preside over a hearing on March 18 about the bill, but said he believes few members have changed their stance on the legislation. The bill would also allow licenses for three casinos in the state.
Congressman calls for details of WTO internet gambling settlement
In a move that could affect internet gambling, Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) asked the U.S. Trade Representative to disclose trade concessions made to foreign trading partners without Congressional approval, according to a press release issued by the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. The move means ��...full article
In a move that could affect internet gambling, Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) asked the U.S. Trade Representative to disclose trade concessions made to foreign trading partners without Congressional approval, according to a press release issued by the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
The move means Congressional intervention may be on the horizon regarding internet gambling, perhaps voiding commitments the USTR gave to the European Union, among others. Previously, the U.S. had policies to keep European and other foreign internet gambling ventures out of the United States.
According to the release:
In a letter circulated to all members of Congress last week, DeFazio encouraged his colleagues to join him in calling for the USTR to provide a copy of the concession agreement between the United States and the European Union. The USTR had recently rejected a Freedom of Information Act request for the same document, claiming the agreement was classified for national security reasons. “There is a concern that the USTR may have been ambitious in its use of a ‘national security’ classification to avoid any publicity of which new business sectors are to be subject to the GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) treaty,” said DeFazio’s March 6 letter.
And later:
Congressman DeFazio’s request is an indication that the Administration’s unilateral action to attempt to resolve the WTO Internet gambling dispute is in jeopardy. “Congress should have been consulted before the US agreed to these trade concessions,” said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “We hope that Mr. DeFazio’s colleagues will join him in demanding more transparency, communication, and consultation from the Administration on Internet gambling. A non-discriminatory market for Internet gambling in the United States will restore integrity to the international trading system.”
The request is the latest in a series of actions regarding U.S. policy toward foreign gambling interests.
According to the release, last year, Antigua successfully challenged the regulation of Internet gambling in the United States with the World Trade Organization. The European Union announced earlier this week that it will open an investigation into a possible international trade violation by the US on this issue.
Legislation introduced by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2046), if passed would change U.S. policy on Internet gambling — allowing regulation — and it would resolve the international trade dispute.
N.Y. reps signs on to IGREA
Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-N.Y.) became a cosponsor of H.R. 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, Friday.
Currently serving his third term as a Congressman, Bishop is a member of the House committees on Budget, Education and Labor, and Transportation and Infrastructure.
During the 109th session of Congress, Bishop voted for Bill Frist's bill to further restrict online gambling in the United States. He voted yes to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, allowing it to pass into the Senate where it was added to the Safe Port Act and passed into law.
Now he has switched sides to support legalizing and regulating Internet gambling, which would bring the United States into compliance with World Trade Organization regulations and potentially bring in billions of dollars in tax revenue for the government.
He brings the number of IGREA cosponsors up to 47, joining the following Congressman:
George Miller (D-Calif.)
| Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) | Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) | Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) |
| Joe Baca (D-Calif.) | Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) | Howard Berman (D-Calif.) |
| Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) | Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) | Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) |
| Julia Carson (D-Ind.) | William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) | Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) |
| Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) | William Delahunt (D-Mass.) | Bob Filner (D-Calif.) |
| Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) | Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) | Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) |
| Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) | Michael Honda (D-Calif.) | Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) |
| Peter King (R-N.Y.) | John Larson (D-Conn.) | Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) |
| Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) | James McGovern (D-Mass.) | Charlie Melancon (D-La.) |
| George Miller (D-Calif.) | James Moran (D-Va.) | Ron Paul (R-Texas) |
| Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) | Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) | Steven Rothman (D-N.J.) |
| Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) | Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) | Robert Scott (D-Va.) |
| Adam Smith (D-Wash.) | Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) | Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) |
| Edolphus Thompson (D-N.Y.) | Melvin Watt (D-N.C.) | Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) |
| Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) | Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) | Albert Wynn (D-Md.) |
| Don Young (R-Alaska) |
New Cosponsor for Online Gambling Bill
Three More Support IGREAVisit PokerListings.com
NETeller reports FY 2007 loss
The biggest impact on NETeller's bottom line for the year was the $136 million it paid the U.S. government to settle charges of handling billions of dollars of illegal online gambling proceeds. The company also spent $37 million in restructuring costs as it shifted its business away from the United States.
NETeller's former founders John Lefebvre and Stephen Lawrence were arrested in January 2007 for their hand in creating NETeller and allowing the company to process online gambling transactions from U.S. customers.
The company was facing charges as well but chose to make a deal with prosecutors that would have the company pay the $136 million fine, cooperate with the investigation against Lefebvre and Lawrence, and discontinue allowing U.S. customers to transfer money through their e-wallet service to online gambling operators.
In 2006, NETeller had recorded a $107.38 million profit. In 2007, the company's revenue rose 15%, but couldn't make up for the legal and restructuring costs.
Since its legal trouble in the United States, NETeller has been focusing on other markets, setting up services for customers in Australia and Asia.
According to the company's report, trading during the first two months of 2008 showed continued growth from 2007. Plus NETeller joined with Centricom Europe to distribute the POLi online bank payment platform in Europe.
They also launched the POLi service through NETBANX in the United Kingdom.
"2007 represented a milestone for the Group as we successfully resolved our issues with the U.S. authorities, and energetically refocused the business to put into action our updated vision and mission," said Ron Martin, NETeller president and CEO. "The renewal of the Group's businesses to leverage changed market opportunities has created energy and enthusiasm throughout the organisation."
Martin also said he is confident the changes will reflect in the company's performance in 2008.
"I would like to thank all our employees for their contributions during a very challenging period in 2007, and I look forward to greater progress into 2008 and beyond."
Related Articles:
- NETeller to Make Final Payment to U.S.
- NETeller Report Shows Recovery
- NETeller Looks to Rebound
- NETeller Customers Already Seeing Money
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Online gamblers target of scammers
According to a TechRadar.com article, criminals are using Trojans to steal millions from online poker players.
A Trojan, or Trojan horse, is a program that doesn't replicate but causes damage or compromises the security of a computer. They can be sent via e-mails or downloaded from Web sites or with other programs.
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at the security software company F-Secure, told TechRadar.com of a situation where an online poker player had a Trojan on his computer that allowed the person who had sent it to secretly take a screenshot of the player's screen.
"We were just investigating a case where a professional online poker player was attacked by someone he would play against regularly online," said Hypponen in the TechRadar.com article. "All of a sudden he started losing. He would regularly lose even when he had a great hand - pocket aces for example. If he had an unbeatable hand, the other players would simply fold. And when he tried to bluff, he would lose."
Hypponen said the player lost hundreds of thousands of euros over the course of a few weeks before F-Secure looked into the matter.
What they found was that one of the other players he was regularly playing against had sent him a tool to help optimize his poker player, but the tool also included a Trojan. That player used it take a screenshot of the pro's screen while they were playing together and see the hole cards he was holding.
Hypponen said it was a clever attack because instead of outright stealing the player's account, he was instead conning the player out of his money, which would take longer for a person to figure out.
"I don't think many online poker players realize that those kind[s] of attacks are being done," Hypponen said.
There are ways for players to better protect themselves from Trojans or other viruses. Along with downloading a good anti-virus program, McAfee offers the following security tips:
- Do not open e-mail attachments from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
- Do not open an e-mail attachment unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a friend or someone you know. Some viruses replicate themselves and spread via e-mail.
- Do not open any e-mail attachments if the subject line is questionable. If you feel that the attachment may be important to you, always save the file to your hard drive before you open it.
- Delete chain e-mails and other spam from your inbox. It's best not to forward or reply to messages like these.
- Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Make sure that the Web site is legitimate and reputable. Verify that an anti-virus program has checked the files on the download site.
- Avoid downloads from non-Web sources altogether. The chances of downloading infected software from Usenet groups, IRC channels, instant messaging clients or P2P is very high.
- Update your anti-virus software often. Threats are on the increase, and they are constantly evolving. Hundreds of viruses are discovered each month.
- Back up your files frequently. If a virus infects your files, at least you can replace them with your backup copy. It's a good idea to store your backup files (on CDs or flash drives) in another secure physical location away from your computer.
- Update your operating system, Web browser and e-mail program on a regular basis.
- Do not open messages or click on links from unknown users in your instant messaging program.
Use a personal firewall. A hardware firewall that sits between your DSL router or cable modem will protect you from inbound attacks. It's a must for broadband connections. A software firewall runs on your PC and can protect you from both inbound and outbound attacks.
Check your accounts and credit reports regularly. Identity thieves can begin using your personal information to open accounts and purchase goods within minutes of obtaining that data. Check your bank account and credit card statements frequently. That way, if you discover that your personal information has been compromised, you can alert credit companies and banks immediately, so they can close your accounts.
Trojans and viruses aren't the only thing online gamblers should worry about. According to a story in The Register, security company Symantec recently noticed an increase in phishing attacks against online gamblers as well.
Scammers have found it easier to trick online gamblers into providing them with the log-in credentials to their gaming accounts where they can cash in rather than trying to get someone's bank account information.
One scenario mentioned in a PortalIT.net story is that phishers could steal players' e-mail information and then forward them spoofed e-mails claiming that the player has money in his account or a problem with his account. The message then links to a spoofed Web page that requests the user to enter his online account information for the gambling site.
That information can then be used to steal the user's credit card information and any cash that's in their account.
As with Trojans and viruses, there are ways for people to protect themselves from phishing scams as well. The National Fraud Information Center (www.fraud.org) offers the following tips:
- Watch out for "phishy" e-mails. The most common form of phishing is e-mails pretending to be from a legitimate retailer, bank, organization or government agency. The sender asks to "confirm" your personal information for some made-up reason: your account is about to be closed, an order for something has been placed in your name or your information has been lost because of a computer problem.
- Don't click on links within e-mails that ask for your personal information. Fraudsters use these links to lure people to phony Web sites that looks just like the real sites of the company, organization, or agency they're impersonating.
- Beware of "pharming." In this latest version of online ID theft, a virus or malicious program is secretly planted in your computer and hijacks your Web browser. When you type in the address of a legitimate Web site, you're taken to a fake copy of the site without realizing it. Any personal information you provide at the phony site, such as your password or account number, can be stolen and fraudulently used.
- Never enter your personal information in a pop-up screen. Sometimes a phisher will direct you to a real company, organization or agency's Web site, but then an unauthorized pop-up screen created by the scammer will appear, with blanks in which to provide your personal information.
- Know that phishing can also happen by phone. You may get a call from someone pretending to be from a company or government agency, making the same kinds of false claims and asking for your personal information.
- If someone contacts you and says you've been a victim of fraud, verify the person's identity before you provide any personal information.
- Job seekers should also be careful. Some phishers target people who list themselves on job search sites. Pretending to be potential employers, they ask for your social security number and other personal information.
- Be suspicious if someone contacts you unexpectedly and asks for your personal information. If you're contacted out of the blue and asked for your personal information, it's a warning sign that something is "phishy." Legitimate companies and agencies don't operate that way.
If you have been hooked by a phisher or realize that important personal information may have been stolen if your computer is compromised by a Trojan, act immediately. Notify the companies with whom you have accounts that were compromised right away.
It's also important to report phishing, whether you fall for it or not. Tell the company or agency that the phisher was impersonating. You can also report the problem to law enforcement agencies through NCL's Fraud Center. The information you provide helps to stop identity theft.
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Team West triumphs in PartyPoker event
First up was the Team Cup, bringing players from Eastern and Western Europe to face off against each other at the poker felt.
Team West was favored 4-5 over the East before the event began. Along with the online qualifiers, the team was led by Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, Roland de Wolfe, Ciaran O'Leary, Marcel Luske, Ian Frazer and Michael Keiner.
Team East featured Tony G, Alexander Kravchenko and last year's European Challenge winner Branimir Brunovic.
None of the stars on Team West made it to the final table, leaving five online qualifiers to battle at the final table against Tony G, Brunovic and the rest of Team East.
It wasn't looking so good for a repeat for Team West when it offered up the first two players to hit the rail. Austrian Stefan Fuchs was out first, followed by Germany's Benjamin Mirsaidi.
Then Team East lost three players in a row: Russian Sergey Pevzner, Estonian Kairit Leibold and Brunovic. With five players left at the table, that put Team West back in the lead.
It became two against two, however, when Jens Litschko, from Germany, busted. That left Tony G and Rylik on Team East against Bjoern Kaersten and Jack Powell for Team West.
#img: antanas-tony-g-guoga_12387.jpg: left: Fourth place was Tony G's time to go.#
It must not have been in the cards for Team East this year. Tony G was the next to go, and Rylik was right behind him, leaving the two Team West players to finish out the game.
In heads-up play, Kaersten had $19,600 in chips left against Powell's $10,400. Powell made a move by going all-in with 10-4 off-suit and got a call from Kaersten who was holding J-8 off-suit. A jack on the river gave Kaersten the victory and the €10,000 first-place prize.
"Roland de Wolfe made a bet with Tony G that the West would win; it was great that he believed in us. It feels great to have won; this is my first live tournament - I usually play low stakes online," said Kaersten, from Germany. "Tony G had position on me on the final table and Ian Frazer and Marcel Luske were on my table in the qualification so I'm really pleased to have achieved this!"
Kaerston also credited Powell for the team's success.
"He was super-aggressive and knocked out the majority of the players on Team East," Kaerston said. "The key for me was doubling up at exactly the right moment; I had the chips to sit back and wait for more hands."
There was a €60,000 prize pool for the PartyPoker East versus West Team Cup, with the final table sharing €37,500.
The final-table payouts were:
| Place | Name | Prize |
| 1st | Bjoern Kaersten | €10,000 |
| 2nd | Jack Powell | €7,000 |
| 3rd | Aga Rylik | €5,000 |
| 4th | Tony G | €4,000 |
| 5th | Jens Litschko | €3,000 |
| 6th | Branimir Brunovic | €2,500 |
| 7th | Kairit Leibold | €2,000 |
| 8th | Sergey Pevzner | €1,500 |
| 9th | Benjamin Mirsaidi | €1,250 |
| 10th | Stefan Fuchs | €1,250 |
As the winning team, Team West received €22,500 to split between its members.
"We congratulate Team West on their victory. We could have sworn that Team East was a banker for victory when it got to the final table," said a PartyPoker spokesman. "Instead it was an apprentice bank clerk who retained the cup for Team West and gets to deposit."
Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott may not have made the final table for Team West, but he did pocket a little cash for his efforts and now he's making up for his Team Cup performance in the PartyPoker European challenge.
The Challenge's €3,000 main event kicked off earlier this week and has whittled its way down to the final nine, one of whom is the Devilfish.
"The Devilfish has been one of the biggest supporters of our events for years, but has never won one despite his outstanding success elsewhere," said a PartyPoker spokesman. "He's been with chips and without chips all week and even serenaded the card room with a version of 'My Way' last night."
Ulliott enters the final table with 293,500 in chips, enough to keep him off the bottom of the pack, but still a way behind the 769,000 in chips held by Alex Leviev.
This is Leviev's second year in a row making the European Championship final table. He finished in third in 2007.
The final-table players are:
| Seat | Name | Chip Count |
| 1. | Stefan Rapp | 292,000 |
| 2. | Josef Klinger | 117,500 |
| 3. | Dave Ulliott | 293,500 |
| 4. | Sigfried Rath | 182,500 |
| 5. | Bernd Stadlbauer | 383,000 |
| 6. | Tamas Gombkoto | 41,000 |
| 7. | Philipp Roch | 140,000 |
| 8. | Alex Leviev | 769,000 |
| 9. | Peter Gelencser | 291,500 |
| 10. | Benjamin Mirsaidi | 83,500 |
They will be battling for a first-place prize of €165,520.
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