Check it out as Andy Bloch appears as the informed, sensible voice of poker — and current efforts to legally mainstream it — on Face to Face with Jon Ralston, a Vegas-based poli-pundit. I think this is like a mainstream media undercard — big match on a medium stage featuring a couple rising media welterweights … or maybe more like a WSOPunditry circuit event?

OK, might-gotta workshop a few mixed metaphors myself … but regardless, Bloch’s appearance begins at about 2:40, where he potentially lays out a starting point for future poker news-talks:

Quick review: well-opened with the suit-and-tie banter, but questionable play with the arrest-talk shove.

UPDATE: There’s a second segment, too. (Click the second little square in the player.) Much better in the second-round subtopics, imho.

Andy Bloch talking poker and Internet freedom (Photo by BJ Nemeth)

Bloch stated three reasons why they should care, even if they’re not an online poker player: Basic freedom, the implications and side effects a ban on Internet gambling would have and how it could move to other areas of the Internet, and that people need to be organized and actively defend their rights. Bloch related a story about how he was playing a $1 SNG online (not mentioning Full Tilt Poker, but he was wearing a PPA patch) with an individual who was visually impaired. He stated that the person he was talking to, and others like him, would not be able to play in a brick and mortar casino. He also described how the UIGEA was passed in the middle of the night in 2006, attached to a must-pass bill. At the time, the PPA and poker community weren’t as mobilized as they are today in the effort to regulate Internet gambling.

The other two individuals on the panel, James Rucker of ColorofChange.org discussing net neutrality and Amelia Donoley of the Center for Media Justice discussing how Internet freedom affects migrant and Latino communities. Most of the audience questions (which were difficult to hear on the video) appeared to be geared toward the net neutrality issue, with the fear that big corporations would control the flow of the Internet, forcing out smaller companies and non-profit groups. Andy stated that there are big corporations supporting net neutrality, as well as to help regulate online poker.

At the end of the panel, each panelist had one final opportunity to promote their efforts. Bloch brought out a poker chip with a bar code to enter into a drawing for an Ipad. The other two panelists seemed impressed with his offering as they each picked up a chip. To watch the hearing, it’s available below:

Bloch will be part of a panel entitled Internet Freedom: Protecting Rights in the Digital Realm in a section of the Brasilia Room, home of the Bad Beat Bar during this year’s WSOP.

The description of the panel:

Freedom must be protected everywhere it is threatened. The FCC has an opportunity to protect Internet users from telecom interests seeking to exploit them. This session will dissect the fight for an open Internet to this point and share strategies for building grassroots support to achieve real Internet Freedom.

The description of Bloch mentions his work with the PPA as part of a grassroots effort to protect the rights of poker players live and online. How much of that will be mentioned during the panel is unknown, but you can watch the discussion from 10:30am-11:45am PT on Ustream.tv.

AnnieDuke Heading to DC tomorrow. Testifying Wednesday at 2pm in front of Chairman Frank’s Committee on his new legislation to regulate online gaming.
about 4 hours ago via web

Apparently it’s the real deal taking shape in DC. Annie, of course, has been in this position before and delivered admirably … and that was before she had faced off several times in front of Donald Trump in the Apprentice board room.

Still unclear how far the current package of poker-related bills can go this year. (Frank Bill, McDermott Bill, and think one other in the Senate but have lost track.) Not to be a doubter nor pose as a political Joe Navarro, but it doesn’t look promising in what’s sure to be a contentious election season when the three most powerful Dems in America (Obama, Reid, Pelosi) are kinda speaking volumes with their silence on the awesomeness — nay, the righteousness — of internet gambling.

Maybe that’s what this week’s hearing is all about?

With Annie testifying in DC, her brother Howard Lederer stepping out in a new way, and their good friend Andy Bloch taking the lead for poker engaging a wider community concerned with internet freedoms as a whole, you can tell — or at least it seems — that poker political forces have shifted gears.

Warga wins second bracelet, makes history

The $1,500 Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better winner is David Warga, becoming the first player win the Casino Employees bracelet (in 2002) and win another WSOP bracelet. Warga defeated Maxwell Troy heads-up, winning $208,862 while Troy pockets $129,253. Full results and Nolan Dalla’s tournament report are available at wsop.com.

Haydon hacks his way to 2500 6-max bracelet

William Haydon defeated Jeffrey Pappola heads-up to take down the $2,500 No-Limit Holdem 6-max title, earning $630,031. Pappola’s runner-up finish was good for $391,068, the full list of results and Dalla’s report can be found here.

Proulx on precipice of Omaha prize

Miguel Proulx (877,000) leads the remaining 12 players when day 3 of the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha resumes at 3pm. Among the notables who cashed: Adam Junglen, Chau Giang, Christian Harder, Tad Jurgens (now leading with 5 cashes), TJ Cloutier and Michael Binger. Get the chip counts and follow live updates at PokerNews.

Ray leads final 13 in 10k limit holdem

Another event resuming at 3pm is day 3 of the $10,000 Limit Holdem World Championship, with Kyle Ray leading the field with 643,000 in chips. Other notables: Dave “Not Bakes” Baker (543,000), Matt Keikoan (418,000), Brock Parker (351,000), Michael Mizrachi (256,000) and David Chiu (144,000). Chip counts and updates available at PokerNews.

Lehmann leader in 1500 NL

Day 2 of the $1,500 No-Limit Holdem event will resume at 2:30pm with Markus Lehmann (135,200) leading the field with 261 players remaining. Other notables: Carlos Mortensen (108,500), Matt Stout (74,800), and Jean Gaspard (63,300). The full list of chip counts is available at PokerNews.

Reslock leads HORSE

Day 2 of the $1,500 HORSE resumes at 3pm with 246 players returning. The current chip leader is Ming Reslock with 50,000. Some of the notables returning: defending champion James Van Alstyne (40,900), Allen Kessler (36,900), Tom Dwan (34,900), Brandon Cantu (29,100), Andy Bloch (26,800), and Chip Jett (21,300). The full list of survivors is at PokerNews.

Thursday’s tournaments

Two tournaments yet again get underway at the WSOP. Starting at 12pm is the $5,000 No-Limit Holdem 6-max event, won last year by Matt Hawrilenko for just over $1,000,000 in besting a field of 928. The 5pm tournament is the $2,500 Pot-Limit Holdem/Pot-Limit Omaha event, with nine hands of each game played before switching. Last year’s winner was Rami Boukai, defeating a field of 453

“Bakes” wins $10,000 2-7 NL Lowball

David “Bakes” Baker earned up his first bracelet, along with $294,314, in winning the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball World Championship defeating Eric Cloutier heads-up. The event drew a field of 101 players, but over 40 had already won a WSOP bracelet, what should be the highest bracelet/entrant ratio of the WSOP this year. The full list of results and Nolan Dalla’s tournament report is available at wsop.com.

Buchman’s best in $2,000 Limit, Bracelt for ’09 November Niner

2009 November Niner final tablist Eric Buchman defeated Brent Courson heads-up in the $2,000 Limit Holdem event, earning $203,607. Full results and Dalla’s tournament report are up at wsop.com.

Ladies’ Championship moves to day 2

Day 2 of the $1,000 Ladies’ No-Limit Holdem Championship concluded after 10 levels with 136 remaining, with 117 making the money. The leader when play resumes at 2:30pm is La Sengphet with 148,500 in chips. Notables also returning include Linda Johnson (64,400), Liv Boeree (57,700), Evelyn Ng (55,200), Jess Welman (25,500), Maria Ho (21,500), Lacey Jones (15,500) and Michele Lewis (13,700). The full list of chip counts is now online at PokerNews. For those who wish tor real Pauly’s take, click here.

Queen Leads limit holdem 6-max

The $2,500 Limit Holdem 6-max event drew a field of 384 entrants, with 122 returning at 2:30pm for day 2. The top 36 will make the money with the winner on Sunday collecting $234,065. The chip leader is Alexander Queen at 74,400. Other notables near the top: Justin Bonomo (56,900), David “Not Bakes” Baker (51,200), JJ Liu (45,600), JC Tran (41,700), Vitaly Lunkin (31,200), and Andy Bloch (26,900). The full list of returning players is now available at PokerNews.

Medic looming large at PLO final table

The first of two final tables gets underway at 2:30pm Saturday with the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha final table:

Seat 1: Trai Dang – 500,000
Seat 2: Nenad Medic – 1,504,000
Seat 3: John “Tex” Barch – 546,000
Seat 4: Ashkan Razavi – 294,000
Seat 5: Tyler Patterson – 139,000
Seat 6: Blair Rodman – 272,000
Seat 7: Chris Hyong Chang – 195,000
Seat 8: Denton Pfister – 167,000
Seat 9: Klinghammer Thibaut – 366,000

Sorel soars to lead for stud final table

The $1,500 Seven Card Stud final table gets underway at 3pm, with this lineup:

Seat 1: Christine Pietsch – 194,000
Seat 2: Richard Ashby – 276,000
Seat 3: Pat Pezzin – 211,000
Seat 4: Dan Heimiller – 241,000
Seat 5: Jon Turner – 83,000
Seat 6: Sorel Mizzi – 435,000
Seat 7: Darren Shebell – 320,000
Seat 8: Owais Ahmed – 78,000

Saturday’s tournaments

The third $1,000 No-Limit Holdem tournament gets underway at 12pm with another 3,000+ expected over the two day 1′s. At 5pm is the $10,000 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better World Championship, won last year by Daniel Alaei for $445,898 in defeating a field of 179.

Check out wsop.com and PokerNews to get updates, chip counts, videos and more from the WSOP.

Tom Dwan
Andy Bloch
Michael Mizrachi
Sorel Mizzi
Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier
Liv Boeree
Paul Wasicka
Gus Hansen
Don Cheadle

The tournament will be filmed for the online version of WSOP Academy, with commentary provided by Ali Nejad and Phil Hellmuth. You can also follow the action as it happens on WSOP Academy’s Twitter. More information can be found at WSOP.com.

Problems with Payouts?

Day 1b of the $1,000 No-Limit Holdem event drew a field of just 1,744 entrants for a total of 4,345 over the weekend. This means that 441 players will make the money, with first place taking down over $625,000. Day 1a ended with 276 making it through the end of level 10. Updates from the PokerNews and WSOP.com sites report that they will either play down to 170 players or to the end of level 10, whichever comes first. There were around 550 players remaining when the field returned from their 90-minute dinner break, so it’ll be intriguing to see how far they’re able to go tonight. In lieu of chip counts for today’s event, read Michael Craig’s blog for the story of a player banned for life for trying to steal an absent player’s chips during the 1k yesterday.

Kostritsyn in Control of Players’ Championship

Full Tilt pro Alexander Kostritsyn is the current chip leader of the $50,000 Players’ Championship as they head to their dinner break with approximately 35 players remaining. Kostritsyn, known online as “PostFlopAction”, is the only player with a seven-figure chip stack (1,430,000). Another Russian, Vladimir Schmelev, second with 830,000 in chips and Robert Mizrachi third with 810,000. Other notables: Erik Seidel (720,000), Erik Sagstrom (656,000) and Andy Bloch (604,000). Three more levels are scheduled, although that may change if they near the money, at 16 players.

Late Night Omaha 8

Play started this afternoon in the $1,500 Omaha 8 or Better missing it’s two-time defending champion Thang Luu. There had been talk during last year’s WSOP about Luu being banned for life for injuring a dealer’s hand in a cash game. Reports now indicate that he was banned for one year. A field of 818 signed up for some split-pot action, with eight levels of play scheduled tonight. 81 players will make the money, with the winner pocketing over $237,000. One very early casualty was Tom “Durrrr” Dwan, his third straight early elimination from a tournament.

Stossel outs himself as a recreational poker player in an episode of his namesake show on Fox Business that aired Thursday: Bans on Betting.

The show re-aired throughout the weekend, and will be on one more time tonight, Sunday, at 10 PM ET.

His efforts to bring the online gambling issue to the fore last week extended far beyond his own show. Here he is on The O’Reilly Factor:

While Stossel makes quite the issue of state lottery hypocrisies, O’Reilly seems to have little clue about the prominence of internet gambling, and thus presumably how big and evolved the industry has become. However, the speed in which someone can go broke seems to be important to people who don’t get the awesomeness of Rush Poker.

Also check out his latest syndicated column, which ran in newspapers across the country last week: Leave the Gamblers Alone!

In it he speaks to Chad Hills of Focus on the Family and Andy Bloch representing the online gambling side. I’d typically include a blockquote here, but almost every paragraf leads to another one worthy of cut-and-paste, so just click and read the whole thing. (Kinda cool that he ledes with a bit about police raiding a VFW hall — hey, I know where he learned about that!)

You’ll likely see more of this debate moving forward. Mix the timing of the main event with the UIGEA deadline, some criminal investigations, and legislation … and suddenly media who don’t rely on online-poker-site press releases have a storyline with some teeth. And if any players regularly seen on TV end up in handcuffs — “Perp Walk with the Pros” — then they’ve really got a few hedlines, for better or for worse. In some respects, the attention that would bring could be huge for ESPN ratings! actually help the online poker industry finally get what they’ve long wanted, albeit probably not the way they wanted.

Of course, with the mainstream media trying to get a handle on poker issues, they’ll undoubtedly get a few things wrong. But in bringing our issues to light, Stossel’s recent TV appearances provide a pretty good read on where things currently stand for online gambling … and where poker interests may have fallen short in getting the message out that we all practically know by heart.

A few examples become obvious on Megyn Kelly’s daytime show, America Live:

* Kelly claims 2/3 of American public want internet gambling to stay illegal. I’m pretty sure there are studies out there that say exactly the opposite, but for some reason she didn’t get word of those, and pretty much dismisses Stossel when he questions the veracity of her numbers.

* Stossel brings up odds, and why the lottery preys on poor people. This woulda been a good time for him to explain how poker is different from other forms of gambling … apparently not everyone understands that.

* Stossel is a string-bettor.

* Barney Frank wouldn’t appear on Stossel’s show. WTF? Supposedly because Stossel offended him with a joke, but I’m wondering if we won’t be seeing Barney for some reason or another until after June 1.

And then on Varney & Co. on Fox Business:

* He explains the crackdown on payment processors.

* Again, more lottery talk.

* They discuss setting up a poker operation online … at which point Stossel jumps on the personal freedom issues, but doesn’t clarify that the example given couldn’t apply, because poker isn’t played against a house.

* Tax revenue shouldn’t be the big reason for legalizing online gambling?

* Gambling a better vice than marijuana? Hmm, that’s a tough call …

Much credit to @RichMuny and @TheEngineer2008 for making these videos easy to find.

IGRTEA 2010 specifies money for states and tribes — 6 percent — and attaches a dollar amount for a specific beneficiary, roughly $1 billion a year for foster-care programs. It’s being pitched as a sin tax, really — a simple addition to the tax code to allow one more group of disadvantaged youth to still get its government cheese. But if that’s the road they’re going down, perhaps they should earmark the $1 billion/year these kids will get from PokerTaxes.net as being for foster kids with cancer and cleft palettes? How can you be against helping foster children make that abused foster children with cancer and cleft palettes.

Here’s the actual bill itself. Just three co-sponsors out the gate, one of them being Barney Frank.

Supposedly, the McDermott bill is still companion legislation for Barney Frank’s 2267. But that bill seems to be going nowhere — instead of heading to mark-up, Frank is telling us to prepare for our next best course of action … let the UIGEA to go into full effect on June 1 and then they’ll see how really bad it is.

OK, interesting strategy. But don’t see where the McDermott bill fits in.

The last time we heard that type of talk was in November, when Spencer Bachus was preparing supporters of the UIGEA to prepare for its seemingly inevitable undoing.

So stuff has changed. How exactly remains to be seen. The .org apparently pushing the McDermott component is the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

Meanwhile … you tell me, get a sense of where anything gambling really stands in DC when Speaker Nancy Pelosi lets something slip about wagers on health care reform votes:

(I call.)

Some of poker’s most influential — Annie Duke, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, et al. — are headed to DC in the next month for the Ante Up for Africa and PreventCancer.org tourney/events … and presumably, while mingling with elected officials and writing checks, will see what kind of political magic they can work (or is being worked) between now and June 1, UIGEA D-Day.

That’s what we wanna know … after Saturday/Sunday’s marathon 9->2 session … how long do you think the heads-up battle between Darvin Moon and Joe Cada will go?

They’re currently in Level 39, with blinds at 500k/1000k + 150k.

Moon has almost the same number of chips he started with, 58,850,000, while Cada, who started with just 13,215,000, now has all the rest — 135,950,000.

What they’re fighting for, essentially: $3.36 million in cash, and then everything else that goes with being WSOP champ.

NOTE: In our previous unscientific poll, Moon got the second-most votes … Cada fourth-most.

The record for WSOP heads-up battles is 7 hours 10 minutes, set by Chip Reese vs. Andy Bloch in 2006. Before that it was 7 hours, in the 1983 main event … where after Doyle Brunson busted out in 3rd on a semi-bluff, an unknown from Michigan, Tom McEvoy, beat Rod Peate for $580,000:

BTW, for a fun historical perspective, watch the start of the television coverage of the 1983 final table here.

(The basics of the beef: the blinds move too slow early, and too fast in the middle of the tournament.)

Should be extra interesting to see these issues in action tomorrow for the start of the WPT Festa al Lago $15k main event. Not only are stack sizes in relation to the blinds in play, but also — and I’m pretty sure this part is new — players will be allowed to late-register (with a totally fresh starting stack) well into Day 2!

For a better explanation, WPT Lead Tournament Reporter BJ Nemeth breaks it down a bit more. Says BJ:

There are currently 40 players registered for this WPT event, & there is only one starting day (tomorrow).

Like the December tourney, this one will let you register anytime during the first *eight* levels. [So] they’re letting players register until 5:00 pm on Day TWO.

This tourney begins with 60,000 in chips (4x stack) and blinds at 50-100. That’s 600 big blinds. (Though I still expect someone to bust in the first level or two.)

If you skip Day 1 and show up at the start of Day 2, you’ll have 75 big blinds to work with. If you wait as long as possible and begin play at the start of Level 9, you’ll have 37.5 big blinds in your stack.

Hmm, OK … we’ll have to see if this adds fuel to Andy Bloch’s fire, or satisfies those who pony up the $15k buy-in enough that complaints about overly deep stacks fail to grow any teeth. Word is that tournament-side WSOP officials will be watching closely at how it plays out.

Click below to see Bellagio’s venerable TD Jack McClelland’s blind structure for tomorrow’s big event in its entirety:

General Rules:

1. Players will start with $60,000 in tournament chips.

2. Each level will last 90 minutes.

3. 15 minute break at the end of each level.

4. 3% of prize money will be withheld for poker room staff.

5. NO RE-BUYS: Your chips will be confiscated and you will NOT RECEIVE A REFUND OR COLLECT ANY PRIZE MONEY.

6. Management reserves the right to change or cancel tournaments.

7. Winners will be paid in casino chips.

8. Tournament champion will receive a $25,500 + $500 entry for the 2010 WPT Championship event.

9. 10/21/09-Day 1-play 5 levels, 10/22/09-play 5 levels, 10/23-play 5 levels, 10/24-play 5 levels, 10/25-play to final six players, 10/26-T.V. final table.

10. Residents of foreign countries without a U.S. tax treaty will be subject to withholding.

Blinds

Level 1: 50-100
Level 2: 100-200
Level 3: 100-200 (25 ante)
Level 4: 200-400 (25)
Level 5: 300-600 (50)
Level 6: 400-800 (75)
Level 7: 500-1,000 (100)
Level 8: 600-1,200 (100)
Level 9: 800-1,600 (200)
Level 10: 1,000-2,000 (200)
Level 11: 1,200-2,400 (300)
Level 12: 1,500-3,000 (400)
Level 13: 2,000-4,000 (400)
Level 14: 3,000-6,000 (500)
Level 15: 4,000-8,000 (500)
Level 16: 5,000-10,000 (1,000)
Level 17: 6,000-12,000 (1,000)
Level 18: 8,000-16,000 (2,000)
Level 19: 10,000-20,000 (2,000)
Level 20: 12,000-24,000 (3,000)
Level 21: 15,000-30,000 (4,000)
Level 22: 20,000-40,000 (4,000)
Level 23: 30,000-60,000 (5,000)
Level 24: 40,000-80,000 (5,000)
Level 25: 50,000-100,000 (10,000)
Level 26: 60,000-120,000 (10,000)
Level 27: 80,000-160,000 (15,000)
Level 28: 100,000-200,000 (15,000)
Level 29: 120,000-240,000 (20,000)
Level 30: 150,000-300,000 (25,000)
Level 31: 200,000-400,000 (25,000)
Level 32: 300,000-600,000 (50,000)
Level 33: 400,000-800,000 (75,000)
Level 34: 500,000-1,000,000 (100,000)

The $1,000 NL Holdem Stimulus Special finished at 3am today with 50 players returning at 1pm to play down to a winner. The chip leader is Robert Comegys from Grand Prairie, TX with nearly 1.2m million in chips. Danny Fuhs is close behind, with notables such as Eric Mizrachi, Lee Watkinson, Dan Heimiller, and Jonathan Aguiar far down the leaderboard. More details will be available in my PokerNews recap later today. Today’s event is scheduled to be the first of over 20 WSOP final tables to be streamed online this year. The scheduled 2pm final table will be pushed back at least a few hours, depending on how fast play is today. Updates on Pokerati during the day today.

The $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha event finished their Day 1 with 81 players remaining, the exact amount needed to reach the money. Jason Mercier, best known for his success on the European Poker Tour, is the chip leader with 227,000 in chips, over 60,000 more than second placed Matt Humphrey. Other notables who’ve made the money include Eric Froehlich,, Dario Alioto, Josh Arieh, An Tran, Warren Karp, Shannon Shorr, Robert Mizrachi, and Kirill Gerasimov. Those players and many more return at 2pm today to play down to a final table.

The $10,000 Seven Card Stud World Championship ended after eight levels with 101 of its remaining 142 entrants remaining. High-stakes cash game player David Oppenheim emerged as the chip leader, with veterans “Miami John” Cernuto, Nick Frangos, Danny Robison, and Steve Zolotow helping make up the top 10. Others who’ll be looking to work their way up include Eli Elezra, Todd Brunson, Eric Drache, Erick Lindgren, Andy Bloch, Cory Zeidman and Phil Ivey. They also return at 2pm to play down to their final table.

The one event that was able to conclude Monday was the WSOP Champions Invitational as Tom McEvoy, the 1983 Main Event winner, knocked off Robert Varkonyi, the 2002 Main Event champion to win the first Binion Cup along with a 1970 red Corvette.

The preview for today’s events:

Today’s festivities get underway at 12 noon with Event #7 – $1,500 NL Holdem and a field that could reach the 2,800 player maximum. Vitaly Lunkin, who took down the 40k NL Holdem earlier this week, is listed as the defending champion of this event. With several $1,500 NL Holdem events held during the WSOP the past few years, I’d say they winners are interchangable. At 5pm is Event #8 – $2,500 NL 2-7 Lowball (Single Draw). This is the first year for this event, which serves as a warmup for the $10,000 World Championship NL 2-7 Lowball event on June 10.

Time to amuse myself with a few predictions. Monday, both the PLO and Stud events fell under both mine and the WSOP projections so I’m currently at 2-4. The projection for today’s 1,500 NL Holdem event is 2,801 (curiously, over the 2,800 cap listed elsewhere in their Resource Guide). They’ll be able to squeeze a few more people into the field so take the over with a field of 2,840. The $2,500 NL 2-7 Lowball is a bit trickier, being a new event at this buyin amount, as in previous years it would usually be a $5,000 event, usually with rebuys. The projection is 150, so the hopes is that a few people will be adventurous and give this a try. I’ll take the under, with at least 100, but not much more looking for some action. More updates and other stuff from Pokerati during the day.

Day 1a of the $1,000 NL Holdem Stimulus Special drew a full field of entries today as the WSOP tournament staff issued a press release declaring the event a sellout at 6,000 entrants, although official numbers are slightly below the 6000 total. There have been rumors that a few spots are still available on Sunday to select individuals who wish to register. An earlier rumor that alternates were being allowed to enter the event turned out to be incorrect. The players will be returning from their dinner break shortly, with less than 1000 players remaining to play the final 2 to 4 levels today. Among the notables that have already came and went: Kevin Saul, Shannon Shorr, and PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok, Joe Stapleton and Barry Greenstein.

The 40th Annual $40,000 NL Holdem event almost has its final table in place, as they’re now 10-handed and return from their dinner break shortly. Alec Torelli leads a stacked table with 5,375,000 in chips. The remainder of the table features Greg Raymer, Tony G, Ted Forrest, Justin Bonomo, Dani Stern, Vitaly Lunkin, Isaac Haxton, Noah Schwartz and Lex Valdhuis (with his girlfriend, Evelyn Ng, sweating the action on the rail).

The size of the Stimulus Special caused a one-hour delay in the start of day 2 of the $1,500 Omaha 8 or Better event. The players reached the money just before their dinner break. Notables who won’t be heading to the pay window include Phil Hellmuth, Andy Bloch, “Hollywood” Dave Stann, Scott Clements and Tony Cousineau. Defending champion in this event Thang Luu is near the top of the leaderboard, with Layne Flack, Freddy Deeb, Todd Brunson and Pat Poels all still in the fight. Special congratulations goes to former WSOP TD Matt Savage for his first WSOP cash. With about 85 players left, the goal is to play down to a final table for Sunday, but don’t be too surprised if there’s a couple of tables who’ll get to return tomorrow afternoon. Check out www.worldseriesofpoker.com for more updates during the evening, and here for players to follow.

1. How much the world economy affects the poker economy. Big buy-in tournaments in the US have fallen by double digits, while season 5 of the European Poker Tour has experienced large fields and prize pools. The $40,000 40th anniversary WSOP tournament is event #2 on the schedule, which some believe is the best way to decimate field size as ~90% of the field will be out $40,000. This is also the first tournament where people are making over/under bets on the size of the field. The extremely useful WSOP Staff Resource Guide expects a field of 150, while many are expecting somewhere between 200-250. For those with much smaller bankrolls, Saturday’s $1,000 “Stimulus Special” starts with a field of over 5,000 over two day 1′s playing down to a winner on Tuesday. Another change that will help the players’ rolls is the elimination of rebuy tournaments this year. Why this was done depends on who you talk to (prevents people from buying a bracelet, more fair to players who don’t have deep pockets, preventing tournament staff from taking rebuy money, etc)

2. More tournaments! More chips! More levels! More Pros win!? The 2009 WSOP will have plenty of opportunity for players to win bracelets, with 57 bracelets up for grabs in Vegas (up from 55). It has also been called the year of value by tournament staff; giving its players triple the buy-in starting chips, and adding levels to several tournaments. Last year several well known players won their first bracelets (Nenad Medic, Erick Lindgren, Kenny Tran, Dario Minieri and John Phan among them), so it’s expected that players such as Patrik Antonius, Gavin Smith, Tom Dwan and Andy Bloch could take down some fine gold jewelry of their own.

3. A kindler, gentler WSOP? Last year’s antics by Scotty Nguyen and Phil Hellmuth, and the lack of enforcement of the rules against them, caused much controversy. Part of this year’s staff this past weekend included something called “Handling Challenging Situations” so the hope is they’ll be better suited to handle any problems over the next 7+ weeks. This year’s WSOP has also put their Code of Conduct directly into the tournament rules along with promises of a written log of all penalties and warnings and more even enforcement of the rules. The rules on profanity have been changed yet again, this time all profanity is not allowed in the poker room. It’ll be interesting to see how stringent this particular rule gets enforced.

4. Will Twitter rule over the WSOP? Twitter has really exploded over the past few months, while some were all over Twitter last year, it took a while for the rest of us to get into the game.

That’s plenty of preview from me, so be sure to make Pokerati one of your places to go to follow during the WSOP. Dan, California Jen and the rest of Team Pokerati will be sure to have all sorts of good stuff to write about while at the Rio, while I’ll be hopefully be writing from a remote location each morning and afternoon with a review and preview of each day’s action.

Joan Rivers got trapped on an escalator. The power went out,
12:45 PM May 8th from web

Joan Rivers has a concussion. She was getting a drink and the toilet seat fell on her head.12:27 PM May 9th from web

Meanwhile, you can follow Annie (@RealAnnieDuke), and probably even better, her boyfriend (@JoeUgly), before-during-after tonight’s finale. Likewise for @JoanRivers___.

Others on-set or nearby:
@CelebApprentice (@MelRivers and @brandenroderick got the official tweeting gigs)
@Zappos
@tomgreenlive
@Andy_Bloch
@natalie_gulbis
@howardhlederer

Otherwise, all is well in my bracket. Got the 4 3 other matches right — Farha d. Cunningham, Eastgate d. Bloch, Lindgren d. Lederer, Elezra d. Chan. Alas, we will not be seeing Gowen vs. Lederer deep, which Ali Nejad reminded us yesterday woulda been great for poker, because it probably woulda been followed on Court TV.

CORRECTION: I guess I changed my pick on Chan vs. Elezra / didn’t go with my gut. Of course Eli was gonna win.

If you wanna follow a little more play-by-play, take your pick:
CardPlayer.com
PokerNews.com
PokerListings.com

Flipchip for really good photos.
Audio stuff TK at PokerRoad.

And it’s still not too late to get in on the bracket-picking action … though points scored on matches already started won’t count in the end. We’re doing this with our forum friends at PokerRoad. Show who’s boss.

UPDATE: Yang defeats Gowen! Boo Jerry Yang! Makin’ us rankers eat it!

We all knew something fishy was going on with Clonie and Full Tilt, right? And we’ve always wondered how exactly Full Tilt operates — seriously it’s kinda a mystery, even to people who work for them — and now, with Clonie Gowen suing four different companies connected to the game so many play with the pros, we should find out quite a bit of interesting info.

As far as I know, this is the first time any online poker biz that operates in the grayish world of processing money from American players (really really light gray, but still … ) will have to show its stuff publicly. Even Ultimate Bet/Absolute, with all the audits and investigations hasn’t really had to show anything it doesn’t want to to anyone outside its own semi-corporate family.

Um, hole-card cameras in the courtroom?

Official court docs here.

Gowen v. Tiltware LLC, et al.,
Plaintiff: Cycalona Gowen
Defendant: Full Tilt Poker, Tiltware LLC, Pocket Kings Ltd., Kolyma Corporation, A.V.V., Raymond J. Bitar, Howard Lederer, Andrew Bloch, Phillip Ivey, Christopher Ferguson, John Juanda, Phillip Gordon, Erick Lindgren, Erik Seidel, Jennifer Harman-Traniello, Michael Matusow, Allen Cunningham, Gus Hansen and Patrick Antonious

Case Number: 2:2008cv01581
Filed: November 14, 2008

Court: Nevada District Court
Office: Las Vegas Office [ Court Info ]
County: Clark
Presiding Judge: Judge Robert C. Jones
Referring Judge: Magistrate Judge Robert J. Johnston

Nature of Suit: Contract – Other Contract
Cause: 28:1332 Diversity-Other Contract
Jurisdiction: Diversity
Jury Demanded By: Plaintiff

They’re talking about it on 2+2, and the summary of her allegations below comes from the Hendon Mob:

In the complaint, she alleges the following —

In 2004, Clonie was offered (and accepted) 1% ownership of Tiltware and FTP in exchange for being a celebrity representative…

Has worn FTP merchandise and promoted FTP in exchange for that ownership interest (no other compensation)…

In May 2007, all Team FTP members received distribution checks but her…she demanded distribution owed to her, refused…

Nov 6, 2007, Lederer offered to pay her $250k for her past performance on behalf of company, she refused cuz only fraction of what was owed to her…

Clonie estimates company worth $4 billion…

Despite not being paid, continued to work and promote company until November 11, 2008, when she was informed that FTP would issue a press statement informing public she was no longer a Team FT Pro…

Still has not been given reason all other Team FT pros given distribution but her…

Claims against all defendants:

1. Breach of Contract — claiming damages of $40 million…
2. Breach of Fiduciary Duties
3. Breach of Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing
4. Unjust Enrichment

5. Fraud/Intentional Misrepresentation (alleges Bitar contacted her in 2004 and told her they wanted her to be “the FTP female pro”…then in May 2004, attended meeting at Golden Nugget in Ivey’s Suite…majority of Team FT was there, and Lederer led the meeting…He informed group that their ownership interests were not only in FTP but also in Tiltware, and Tiltware would charge FTP a high leasing fee.

Go Batfaces!

It’s gonna be a late-night event at Coors Field on Tuesday, Aug. 26. $500 a seat, with proceeds going to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Hosted by the PPA, with Andy Bloch, Barry Greenstein, and Ben Affleck serving as poker ambassadors. Sponsored tables available for businesses looking for a meaningful way to spend their charitable dollars.