Comments on: Not So Instapoker 7/31 Edition

By: BJ Nemeth

BJ Nemeth — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:40:37 +0000

Is there any poker forum/website/conference call/freeroll where the ubiquitous Kevin Mathers *doesn’t* make an appearance?

You’re the hardest working person in the business … who isn’t in the business. Some day I hope you get rich off your writing. (But after I do.)

By: Kevin Mathers

Kevin Mathers — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:17:11 +0000

I check out the WPTE messageboard over at Yahoo (http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/mb/WPTE) from time to time and there’s usually a mention of how Club WPT is doing. They’re also doing a conference call next week and there should be an update on the subscription figures during the call.

By: BJ Nemeth

BJ Nemeth — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:09:38 +0000

@Kevin: I’m assuming that none of the subscription sites are doing particularly well, but I have nothing to back that up. Do the online tracking sites show any numbers for them? (Number of players, number of games, etc.)

By: Kevin Mathers

Kevin Mathers — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:41:53 +0000

I’d guess that the WPT Club shows would take place at Hollywood Park or Morongo Casino, that’s where previous FSN made for TV tournaments have taken place.

Clububt.com I believe uses the same software as ClubWPT and SpadeClub. Fleetstreetgames.com who made the controversial “Poker is a crime” video, found at http://fleetstreetgames.com/media/ is another subscription site.

By: BJ Nemeth

BJ Nemeth — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:21:39 +0000

Tiffany Michelle’s UltimateBet deal was always a matter of “when” rather than “if” — we all knew it was coming. And good luck getting Fed Chief Bernanke to provide any guidance on the UIGEA. Like he needs *that* problem right now.

I find the news between Fox Sports and the WPT to be pretty interesting. Several companies have started these “poker clubs,” subscription-based sites that allow players to battle for real-money prizes under sweepstakes rules, making them legal in the United States. (But definitely less interesting.) I imagine there are more, but the only two I know about are Club WPT and Card Player’s Spade Club.

The WPT/Fox Sports announcement sounds like it will put WPT Club winners directly at a special televised final table. (It’s reminiscent of Mansion Poker and the Poker Dome show, but that version of “speed poker” made it much more like a game show than actual poker.) If the FSN show offers a decent prizepool and a decent blind structure, they may be able to attract a lot of players (hopefully new to online poker) to Club WPT.

So I’ll be keeping my eye on the FSN show planned for Club WPT players.

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:09:20 +0000

“For those of you waiting for checks from Bodog, you may be waiting even longer for that money now that the Fed has taken $24 million of the site’s money.”

Yeah I am beginning to think my near $1k bankroll is turning into play money at this point. I will keep playing and having fun but do not expect to see any of it anytime soon.