Breaking the silence she has maintained since her eponymous book was released in 2014, former skier turned poker “fixer” Molly Bloom talked about her life as THE biggest poker organizer in the world at a forum in California recently. Bloom, who has kept a decidedly low profile since releasing Molly’s Game in 2014 and the… Read more »
Poker Gossip
Gossip, twitter, etc.
Indiana Says Smoking Ban in Casinos Would Cost State Jobs, Money
Since the 1990s, smoking has been banned in most of the poker rooms of casinos across the States of America. For the most part, however, smoking has been allowed in other areas of casinos outside of the sacred poker room area. Individual states are now having issues with the implementation of smoking bans in their… Read more »
Leon Tsoukernik/Matt Kirk Battle Ramps Up as Fellow Players Take Sides
One thing that a poker player has in the world of gambling is his integrity. The trust of your fellow players – whether it be in financial transactions or in actual play of the game – is integral to being able to operate in the gambling community. Thus, the battle between King’s Casino owner Leon… Read more »
Victoria Coren-Mitchell Compares Phil Ivey to Roger Federer as He Preps for Return to Tournament Poker
In an article she wrote for The Guardian in the United Kingdom, British poker semi-professional Victoria Coren-Mitchell compared 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Ivey to one of the living legends of tennis, Roger Federer. Interestingly enough, Ivey is currently prepping for a return to the tournament poker world in 2018 that he… Read more »
Patrik Antonius: Today’s Poker “Painful” To Play
Although it may seem to be a simple game of cards and chips, poker is a constantly evolving game. The way it was played 40 years ago bears little resemblance to the way the players approach the game today. A player who used to be considered a “young gun” but is now a weathered veteran,… Read more »
Israeli Tax Authority Targeting Poker Players for Investigation
According to reports from one of Israel’s business websites, several Israeli poker players are currently under siege, but not because they play poker. They are allegedly the target of the Israeli government and the Israeli Tax Authority for monies that are allegedly owed to the government. The website Globes and writer Ela Levi-Weinrib are reporting… Read more »
Florida Mayor Calls for ‘Decoupling’ of Racetracks and Poker Rooms
The state of Florida has become a hotbed for poker. Whether it is tournaments or cash games, the thirst for the game is quenched in the casinos of the Seminole Indians and in approximately 15 card rooms around the state. For these card rooms to exist, however, they have to offer greyhound or horse racing… Read more »
Phil Ivey Loses Edge Sorting Case Appeal in British Supreme Court
Newly inducted Poker Hall of Famer, the legendary Phil Ivey, will not be receiving his winnings from five years ago from London’s Crockfords Club casino. On Wednesday, the British Supreme Court ruled against Ivey in his appeal of his “edge sorting” case against the casino, meaning that he will never see the £7.7 million he… Read more »
Poker Player Suspicious of Possible Collusion Ring on partypoker
Online poker rooms are constantly on the lookout for cheaters (or so they claim), but historically, the best sleuths come from the poker community at large. The gigantic “super user” scandals that rocked the online poker world a number of years ago, for example, were discovered by suspicious players (with a little help from a… Read more »
Judge’s Decision Mixed in Poker Pro’s Lawsuit Against King’s Casino Owner
A Clark County, Nevada District Court Judge isn’t making it easy for Australian poker pro Matthew Kirk to get $2 million back from King’s Casino owner Leon Tsoukernik, but she did leave the window open a crack for Kirk to keep trying. In a decision on Friday, District Judge Linda Marie Bell tossed out all… Read more »
“Molly’s Game” Premiere Delayed Until Christmas – Good or Bad for the Film?
While initial showings have been received surprisingly well, the distribution company behind the upcoming film based on the autobiography of Molly Bloom has decided to push the opening of the film back. Molly’s Game, the Aaron Sorkin adapted and directed film based on Bloom’s book of the same name, has been making the rounds of… Read more »
Hawaiian Gardens, You Done Messed Up
When one screws up, the best thing do to is usually double down and screw up even harder. Seems to work for Donald Trump, so why not everyone else? Enter the Hawaiian Gardens Casino in the Los Angeles area, whose poker room management decided that two wrongs make a right. Or something like that. I’m… Read more »
Men with Russia Organized Crime Ties Face Charges in Rival Poker Club Fire
Six men with alleged connections to the Russian mafia were charged with a series of crimes related to the intentional burning of a New York residential building that housed a poker club run by a rival. The 33-count superseding indictment was unsealed last week in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of… Read more »
Story of John Hesp Possibly to Become Feature Film
This summer at the World Series of Poker, Englishman John Hesp had perhaps the run of a lifetime. In the WSOP Championship Event, Hesp played his cards well enough that he made the final table among the chip leaders in the tournament before bowing out in fourth place for a $2.6 million payday. That amazing… Read more »
Golden Nugget Owner Tilman Fertitta Buys Houston Rockets for $2.2 Billion
The Houston Rockets NBA franchise announced this week that it has been purchased by Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels. Though the team did not disclose details of the transaction, a source close to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said that Fertitta paid $2.2 billion for the club. In a press release issued… Read more »
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Room – The Next Big Florida Poker Destination?
Ever since the state legislature removed the limits imposed on its poker rooms, the poker industry in Florida has exploded. Those previous rules limited what stakes could be played for and limited how much could be on the table. In 2009, however, the legislature “uncapped” the poker rooms to allow them to play for pretty… Read more »
Nevada Gaming Commission Bans Marijuana Usage on Casino Grounds
Although the state of Nevada has opened the doors for legal marijuana possession, usage and sales inside its borders, there are still laws making it illegal to smoke in public. As far as individual businesses go, they are free to set their own rules regarding partaking of weed. For casinos around the state, however, their… Read more »
Mediarex S&E Opens Door on Its Latest Endeavor, GPL India
If having an international poker league (albeit seemingly defunct right now) and another poker league in the country with the largest population in the world (China) wasn’t enough, Mediarex S&E has gone full bore into another critical poker battleground. Mediarex S&E, the ownership behind the international Global Poker League and the GPL China, has announced… Read more »
Tom Dwan Makes Comeback on Revived “Poker After Dark”
On Monday, Poker Central will revive the fan favorite Poker After Dark for its subscription service PokerGO. When the cards hit the air for the return of the show, it will also feature the return of a player who once held the poker world’s attention but has of late been a footnote to the game.… Read more »
Phil Ivey, David ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott Inducted into Poker Hall of Fame
During the broadcast of Friday night’s action at the 2017 World Series of Poker Championship Event final table, the two latest inductees for the Poker Hall of Fame were announced. With congratulations, one of them was a first-ballot inductee in Phil Ivey and the other was a well-deserved and beloved choice in David ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott.… Read more »
Ten Nominees Announced for 2017 Poker Hall of Fame Seats
After the compilation of the fans’ selections for consideration, the Poker Hall of Fame have announced the top ten nominees, with two of the men on the list being enshrined in the ‘Valhalla of poker’ during the final table play of the World Series of Poker Championship Event. The ten men on the list run… Read more »
State of Florida, Seminole Indians Reach Gaming Settlement
Ending a debate that has raged in the halls of the state capitol, Tallahassee, since early last year, Governor Rick Scott of Florida, his gaming enforcement board and the Seminole Tribe of Florida reached a settlement that will have a sizeable effect on gaming in the Sunshine State. The new agreement will influence table games,… Read more »
Bruno Fitoussi, Mike Sexton to Receive WPT Honors Award
After doling out their inaugural awards earlier this year, the World Poker Tour announced yesterday that former WPT announcer and Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton and French poker legend Bruno Fitoussi will be the next recipients of the WPT Honors Award. “The World Poker Tour is incredibly proud to have Mike Sexton and Bruno… Read more »
Crowded Field Contend for Spots in Poker Hall of Fame
As pointed out last week by my colleague and friend Dan Katz, nominations are open once again for the Poker Hall of Fame. Poker’s fandom is asked each year to nominate one person for induction into poker immortality and, because the Hall only inducts two people per year, there are many that are contenders for… Read more »
Edgar Stuchly Out as President of PokerStars Live
After the tepid performance of the rollout of their rebranded tournament series, the President of PokerStars Live, Edgar Stuchly, has been terminated from his position. Stuchly was the boss of what had been one of the most powerful tournament poker schedules in the world circa 2011. Hired from Casinos Austria, Stuchly took over for the… Read more »