CALIFORNIA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP *just added*

Now through August 31, Silverton Casino Lodge offers Discovery Club members the chance to win entry into the California State Poker Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Los Angeles September 23 and 24. Members must earn points through daily tournaments and live poker play. On August 24, the top 20 players with the most earned points will qualify to compete in a satellite event at Silverton Casino Lodge on August 31. Qualifiers for the satellite tournament will be broken into two groups to determine playing time. The top three players from each group will receive cash prizes and both winning players will receive the $2,500 entry fee into the California State Poker Championship, hotel and airfare for two and $700 cash. Guests are encouraged to visit the Player’s Club for more details.

• Dan misses a meeting … too many responsibilities.
• Karridy on the Mathematics of PokerBowl.
• Update on the Karridy vs. Big Robert music video challenge.
• Tom heads out to the California State Poker Championship.
• The resurgent popularity of douchebags?
• Dan runnin’ bad and old men rollin’ bad in Oklahoma.
• BTT improvements.
• Who is Annette_15 and why wasn’t the WSOP Player of the Year at WSOP-Europe?

And if you missed it last week, click here for the Tom Schneider episode of Ante Up! Lots of real content on this show — too much to list, but you will delight in a German guy’s inquiring about Tom’s fondness for the Hammer and the most fascinating recount of a 7-stud Hi-Lo hand I’ve ever heard.

Personally, Survivor isn’t one of my favorite shows but I’m tuning in this season (Thursdays at 8pm PST on CBS) because Survivor: China features poker’s own Jean-Robert Bellande. Bobby did well on the first episode, and rumors circulate that he doesn’t get voted off anytime soon. My only question is… Did he have to take a slow boat to China and make straw huts to get his chance at a million dollars? Sure, it’s a freeroll, but still…

Speaking of crazy, Russell Crowe has been known to do some ridiculous things, like throwing that telephone at a NYC hotel employee, but now he’s taking his antics to moral ground. He has decided that he doesn’t want poker machines in his sports club – or any Australian clubs or leagues – because a study revealed that some of the players use their welfare money to play. Ummm, that’s how gambling has survived the test of time, Russell. Duh.

Gambling brings us to the film Lucky You that was released in theaters back in May. The odds were against it from the start, not only because it was released on the same day as Spiderman 3, but it was a disappointing movie. Warner Bros. had an acclaimed producer/director, all-star cast, and even true poker pros as extras and consultants, but it just flopped. (Eliminate Drew Barrymore and it might have been less painful…) Well, the DVD is now available for rental or purchase. Do what you wish with your spare change.

And let’s end with Jose Canseco. He and a group of men showed up at the California State Poker Championship series to play in the… wait for it… Ladies No-Limit Hold’em tournament. Either long-term use of steroids confuse the brain, or he was making a point that ladies-only tournaments are discriminatory. Wouldn’t women go absolutely nutty if a casino tried to keep them out of a tournament? Seriously, let’s turn the poker tables here.

Photo courtesy of PokerPadz & London Gallagher