One site that didn’t even make it as a write-in contender, but I clearly have been enjoying since recently discovering it: Melted Felt.
Basically The Onion of Poker. Some recent hedlines:
Iran Introduces Hanging for Slowrollers
PPA Upbeat on Donations as HR 5767 Defeated
WSOP Chaos as Gus Hansen’s Ears Run Amok!
There’re certain truths to their fake poker news that makes the limeys behind Melted Felt, imho, worth the RSS-subscribe.
HR 5767, the poker legislation providing the quickest route to undoing the UIGEA, failed to make it out of committee today. This means anti-UIGEA efforts will likely have to rely on more hard work to rally support behind an unpopular issue than slick process maneuvers for now.
The bill was bare-bones from the start, and the plan was to attach an amendment — the King Amendment (Rep. Peter King - R, NY) — which basically said, “Yo, the banks have to cut off some legal businesses (horse racing) because of this UIGEA thingy and it’s not very effective against the bad guys anyway, so let’s do our banking pals a fave and suspend the whole damn thing while we figure it all out. Cool?”
Sounds like sensible government to me … but apparently some members of the House Financial Services committee were suspicious that sumpin’ was up … and the amendment fell one vote short, 32-32. (It’s a 70-member committee — not sure how it broke down, by party or otherwise, nor who the abstainers/no-shows were.) Without the King Amendment passing by a WIDE margin, the whole strategy behind sneaking pushing a quick bank-fix vote through Congress proper kinda fell apart, so committee chair Rep. Barney Frank decided not to put HR 5767 to a role call vote.
I am pretty sure this effectively kills 5767 … little to no chance it will be resurrected. And I have to say, the results of today’s committee hearing are pretty discouraging. More TK on why, but click below to read the statement from PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, which just came over the transom:
Just a reminder … big Congressional committee vote this week in Washington DC. If you haven’t already, express your support for HR 5767 by sending your representative a pre-templated PPA email.
Especially if your congressperson is on the House Financial Services Committee. (Damn, they’ve really got a lot on their plate. Scroll down and you’ll get a sense of what a big step getting this bill to a vote really will be.)
Click below for a complete list of the pols who really matter to poker at this moment:
Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas did another one of his WSOP fly-ins for a couple days — manning the hallway booth and meeting with pros — but much of his time was spent away from the Amazon and in his room at the Rio, on the phone/computer/Blackberry with Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) et al. about HR 5767 — which is scheduled to be voted on in committee Wednesday or Thursday. While getting this bill on the agenda brings the notion of pre-UIGEA poker one step closer to reality, the measure also faces the threat of being voted down and derailed ’til next year or never.
It’s supposedly an all-in push that should hold up … and if HR 5767 — co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and 17 19 others — passes muster in House Financial Services, of which Frank is the chair, then it moves to the floor of Congress for a vote — preferably having shown strong bipartisan support in committee.
So what does this mean for you, the non-political poker types who are fine-and-dandy with playing unofficial WSOP satellites on Full Tilt and PokerStars? More fish, basically … and poker industry people would in some way or another have a say in what may or may not constitute Unlawful Internet Gambling that the Treasury Dept. could look into/stop. (You know, like online site owners who peek at hole cards … that should be unlawful, right?)
The WPA announced today that Jesse Jones has returned to his status as Chairman of the Board of the organization in the wake of the resignation of Wendeen Eolis.
It came on strong. Jesse Jones started the World Poker Association with the best of intentions, and using his solid reputation in the industry and a goal-laden pitch about developing uniformity in tournament poker rules globally, the WPA energized the poker community. Integrity, worldwide, rules - all words that appealed to tournament players. Membership grew, especially with the WPA’s strong presence at the 2007 WSOP. Joseph Hachem joined the board, players anted up to become founding members, and a solid base was built.
Time went by. More time went by.
Of the many groups with a presence at the 2008 WSOP, the Poker Players Alliance is doing its best to let the amateur players who flock here know not only that their voice is relevant, but also that there is a plan of action in motion to, essentially, allow online poker sites to advertise with a dot-com. OK, there’s far more to it than that … but establishing poker’s political presence is important — and because it ain’t easy to become the NRA without something akin to the Second Amendment behind you, the PPA is spearheading the efforts both on the grassroots level as well as the important behind-the-scenes ass-kissing palm-greasing politicking in Washington DC.
To help explain the cause and sign up new members, the PPA has poker pros at its booth daily. Click below to read the full press release about these meet-n-greets designed to get everyone on the same team.
Oops, while rambling on in the previous post, i forgot to share with you the email Alfonse D’Amato sent out today that made me start writing it. He makes some good points while, of course, also trying to give away a seat to the WSOP. My one question for the for-sale figurehead retired senator is: When are you going to start blogging Why age 25? That seems weird.
Dear Dan,
On behalf of the Poker Players Alliance, thank you for being part of our landmark drive to sign up more than one million members nationwide. Speaking with one voice on behalf of the great game, we have become one of the leading grassroots advocacy organizations in the country.
We have expanded our reach coast-to-coast, opened offices in our nation’s capital, and we are fighting each and every day to preserve your ability to play the great game of poker. Politicians are hearing our message – that Poker Is Not a Crime.
Today, I am excited to announce that the PPA is ready to reward you for your participation. We are launching PPA Online, a new and improved Web site, and a brand new membership package of valuable benefits.
Had a pleasant chat with PPA boss John Pappas yesterday about the state of poker legislation. “We have a new website!” he says. OK, that quote’s semi-made up, but he definitely wanted to pimp the Poker Players Alliance’s new forums, benefit packages, and webtronic goodies. Yeah, yeah, website uh-huh … I didn’t tell him that I get most of my PPA on MySpace, where they share rank with Ed, The Poker Atlas, and RawVegas TV.*
Anyhow, in hearing about what they’re trying to achieve, I came to realize just how much progress the PPA has made. There are currently five bills pending in Congress specific to our issue. You can say all you want about the “special interests” … but that’s what we are. And frankly a rather small one in the Beltway schema. Yet those five bills come with 98 unique sponsors — meaning nearly a quarter of the House of Representatives are more than familiar with poker causes and have affirmatively declared themselves on our side. That’s pretty impressive progress over the course of 18 months.
With that said, Pappas doesn’t necessarily expect to see a legally enforceable undoing of the UIGEA this year. Nor do I, nor does Lavigne in Austin, nor does anyone actively working toward that goal. This being a presidential election year, with so many big big issues in play and seats at stake, Congress just isn’t gonna get around to making the world safe for online poker in ‘08. I could be wrong on this — and hope I am — but I’m not. Fortunately the PPA leadership and lobbyists seem to recognize that hoping is seldom a good strategy … and while there’s always a chance poker could hit a political miracle on the turn and river, the PPA should shove all-in! what’s important now for the PPA is putting us in a position to succeed in 2009, when table conditions are sure to have changed.
* Pauly, dude, when are you gonna get on MySpace?
In this week’s episode: The Washington State Gambling Ban heads to court! See the only first hand coverage on the web! Plus the Rally for the Poker Players Alliance and other industry news!
The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) recently announced that it hit the one-million-member mark. Truthfully, membership currently stands at 1,000,450. That, in itself, is amazing, considering it is difficult to get more than five poker players to agree on a restaurant for dinner and commit to it, much less take the time to become a member of a political organization.
In its effort to up the ante, the PPA has also launched a voter registration drive, making it easy to register to vote in your home state. The campaign is called, “If You Play, Have a Say.”
And the PPA has launched a political action committee called PokerPAC, and members are encouraged to get involved. With the upcoming November 2008 elections, the PPA seems to have stepped up its game and is ready to play with the big boys.
It’s time to get involved, people! Sit out of that online game for a few minutes and pull up the PPA websites. Register to vote, send messages to your members of Congress, and stand up for your game!
Since the UIGEA became law, poker has desperately needed a superhero to save it. With the U.S. government breathing down our necks, it’s been uncomfortable and a bit scary.
Some organizations have played significant roles in attempting to come to our rescue. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) and the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative are lobbying on our behalves, but it was going to take some actual members of our Congress to stand up and gain support for our cause.
We seem to have two of them in Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX). Not only have them spoken out against the UIGEA, but they have now proposed new legislation to stop it. H.R. 5767 was introduced on Thursday, April 10th, to prohibit the implementation of UIGEA regulations by banks and financial institutions, basically rendering the UIGEA ineffective.
Read the press release from the House Committee on Financial Services here.
Could poker’s superheroes be Frank and Paul? Bet on it.
Now is the time for the poker community to step up and show their support for H.R. 5767. Tell your Congressional representatives to back this legislation and push it through. The PPA and SSIGI websites make it easy to do.
For months, concerns have been expressed by U.S. financial institutions and members of Congress about the ambiguous nature of the UIGEA. The government doesn’t know how to enforce it, and banks don’t know how to comply.
Rep. Barney Frank has been one of the most outspoken members of Congress on this issue, as he feels his own bill - HR 2046 - would be more appropriate to regulate online gaming rather than attempt to ban financial transactions to the sites.
Today, there is a Congressional hearing entitled “Proposed UIGEA Regulations: Burden Without Benefit?” taking place on Capitol Hill. The Poker Players Alliance has a live stream of the hearing on their website.
Click here to check it out. (Beware: There are long periods of silence when the hearing goes to recess between panels.)
UPDATE: The hearings seem to be over, but the written testimonies are available at the link above.
What exactly does the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) stand for?
Frank Frisina of Life’s a Bluff has posed that question, specifically as it relates to the organization’s mission statement that, in part, says it will ensure the integrity of the game of poker. The fact that the PPA would not and will not make an official statement about the recent online cheating scandals at Absolute Poker and UltimateBet was a major concern for Frank. And upon the conclusion of an e-mail interview with John Pappas, Executive Director of the PPA, Frank decided that John’s answers - or non-answers - were the straws that broke the donkey’s back.
Frank has officially terminated his membership with the PPA and has explained his reasons in great detail. Life’s a Bluff as a whole has also stopped any support of the PPA. He asks that others who agree with him stand up and do the same.
The introduction and the interview are well worth the read, as Frank poses some serious questions to the online poker community about organization, legislation, regulation, and membership organizations like the PPA.
In addition to those state-by-state member numbers, the PPA put out a press release this week announcing its new state directors. Good to see poker players getting more involved in grassroots activity as the politi-dudes looking out for us in Washington DC continue to develop into a real Beltway force. However, there’s one state where the director curiously isn’t named — and that’s Texas.
Um, Mike …? Has there been a change to your resume that you might wanna blog about that you might wanna blog about?
UPDATE: Lavigne in Austin en-route-to-Wichita-Falls confirms via Blackberry that he is indeed still a state director for the PPA, and showed off his political skills by dodging my follow-up question about “why the ‘TBA’ then?” by reassuring me that the poker political machinery in Texas, having been built and tested now, will be well-oiled for 2009 with real Texas Hold’em in Texas in 2010 so long as I don’t write anything to muck it up.
The political season is well underway, and the PPA, having brought on board a new seasoned politico to coordinate grassroots efforts and direct external affairs, is lining up their state directors and kicking butts into gear. Here is a breakdown of how many members poker’s version of the NRA has by each state, as of noon EDT today. (Go Texas!)
CA: 97107
TX: 58512
FL: 57924
NY: 52090
PA: 50221
OH: 40356
IL: 35147
MI: 34541
NJ: 23999
IN: 23538
Barron Vangor Toth died last week, reportedly of cancer. He was an intelligent poster on 2+2 who would later go on to make his presence known around the WSOP writing for Gutshot … respected for his ability to capture the underlying excitement of limit hold’em and math in action. He was also the Connecticut state director for the Poker Players Alliance.
Prior to poker, Barron ran a shop selling comics and Magic the Gathering supplies … and from there became a game designer — most notably the co-creator of WWE Raw Deal (basically professional wrestling-meets-Magic) — which grew for seven years before being discontinued at the end of 2007. At the time of his death, he was site director for PlanetWWE.
Barron wrote a little about his health struggles here. He was 34.
An interesting vid I found via the PPA’s myspace page. (We’re “friends.” But should I be jealous that Wicked Chops and CardPlayer are “top” friends and Pokerati is not?)
Anyhow, not sure what to make of this CNN story. The bad side is the way they attribute one person’s weakness as signs of an endemic problem. Also bad that there are forces in Congress — a Democrat no less — wanting to further paint gambling as evil. The good side is that this pending legislation pulls out slot machines as something different, and points out that the government is aware of its own abilities to make money via different forms of recreational gaming.
Either way, gambling in all forms clearly is becoming a hot minor issue in the upcoming election year — one that many congresspeople may find easier to take on that some of the country’s more pressing concerns.
News Clip on Bill to Ban Military Slot Machines (12/17/07)
In the spirit of political compromise, I think at least a few of us would be willing to say, fine, pull slot machines from military bases … and make online poker more legal so we can replace the revenues lost from the removal of military slot machines. That would be a win-win, right?
In case you are a little confused as to why we are saying not to pass certain governmental regulations relating to the UIGEA now (as opposed to in 2006), below is an email exchange I had with our good friends at the PPA earlier today explaining what is and isn’t in play.
Ahh, now I get it!
While bills to undo the UIGEA are picking up steam, the Treasury Department is still trying to figure out how to enforce it. And they have to decide on Wednesday if one proposed system of blocking financial transactions will work. Thus, click below to see the letter I just sent out in opposition (with a little help from the PPA). If you would like to do something similar — you have to do it pretty much in the next 24 hours — click here (and scroll down toward the bottom) for instructions on doing your non-lazy-poker-player patriotic duty as an American citizen opposed to bad, non-sensical regulations, policy, and law.
Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee held the Hearing on Establishing Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers. Errr, it was about online gaming.
John Conyers (D-MI) chaired the hearing; he has every potential to be a co-sponsor of one or more of the bills up for consideration in Congress, and he visited the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) convention a few weeks ago.
Robert Wexler and Shelley Berkley, both of whom introduced bills supported by the PPA, spoke at the hearing. And representing the PPA was Annie Duke. Her testimony was excellent, and when confronted by members of Congress like Goodlatte, she held her own.
The video of Annie’s testimony (with the introduction by Conyers) is worth listening to…
More proof that politics is way more about money than morals … Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is pushing for three resort casinos in his state. You would think we might say that’s a good thing — especially for Gonz. However, let’s hope it doesn’t pass … because buried deep inside the legislative initiative is a provision that would make it a serious crime to place a bet online.
If it does pass as-is, playing poker online would be punishable by two years in jail and a $25,000 fine. Rep. Barney Frank isn’t happy, because that’s a rake you just can’t beat!
What rubs me a little raw here is the short-sighted ignorance of politicians (and others) who don’t see how online gambling — at least as it applies to poker — actually helps feed their brick-and-mortar interests. I mean that’s just looking at the bucks and bolts of it. Forget about the morally offensive nature of criminalizing any solo activity perpetrated in one’s private bedroom.
What the people who care less about online poker and casinos for the people of Boston should be concerned about is yet another attempt to put laws into play that will ultimately require an internet police force to be set up to patrol our computer screens.
Let’s focus, political people: “Sensible government” is what the voters want to see in 2008! And when the PPA is siding with anti-gambling advocates, you know something doesn’t add up.
That’s hard to say — in the sense that Beltway political wonks still say passage of relevant poker legislation is unlikely. But as it pertains to raising awareness, educating legislators, and, in the long run, raising necessary monies … it seems like yes, indeed, great things pokery happened in Washington DC this week.
Click here to see the various media coverage garnered by this poker-rally lobby-fest.
There are some curious strategic matters in play here. After all, considering the current state of the world, it’s not like the non-poker populace is gonna be saying, “Yeah, you know what, better regulation of online gambling is what this country really needs right now.” Or … “We didn’t have these sorts of problems when PartyPoker was in power.”
So to some extent, poker finds itself in a Catch-22. We need to be aggressive and heard to create change … but at the same time, our best bet for passing pro-poker legislation is probably to slip it in under the radar. Like Bill Frist did with the UIGEA — only less dirty-handed. And that’s why this most recent PPA effort seems to have been a good one. No screaming, just talking … but presumably saying the right things to the influential non-masses with the ability to push through some “simple” and “sensible” changes before dealing with the bigger, more perilous issues of our day.
ALT HED: Make Poker Not War!
The second day of the conference began with an appearance by Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the World Series of Poker. He gave some insight into the 2008 WSOP that hasn’t been released to the press officially, as follows:
• There will be no tent. (The audience applauded.)
• A concierge, possibly a team of people, will be available for those with questions throughout the series.
• There will be no more than 55 events.
• The exact list of events will be announced in December or January.
• He is in the process of trying to arrange a way for players to begin buying into the events at any Harrah’s property as soon as the events are announced.
• Since 2009 will be the 40th anniversary of the WSOP, 2008 will host some events to kick off a year of tributes and celebrations.
• New WSOP ads will air soon that feature the voice of Don Cheadle.
• Close to $1 million was raised for various charities at the 2007 WSOP. There will be affiliations with charities again in 2008, including Ante Up for Africa.
Mr. Pollack went on to say that they meet with members of the player’s council almost weekly in order to make the 2008 better than in years past. He admitted, “We are never going to get it exactly right,†but they will continue to do the best they can.
Over 100 people signed up for the first annual CPPC, and for its inaugural installment, the hosts seemed pleased. Not only were the attendees excited to be there, but they seemed inspired by the speakers – taking notes, asking questions, talking strategy and game tips during breaks. Some of the speakers set up exhibits to sell their books, distribute info about poker lessons and organizations like the PPA, and computers were even provided for the ability to e-mail members of Congress in the ongoing fight for poker rights.
Some key ideas from the day’s speakers:
• “If your only goal is to win pots, you can play and bet every hand, win some of them, and become the world champion of winning pots. But if your object is to make the right decisions, you can be a champion poker player.†– Mike Caro
• George Epstein gives speeches and poker lessons to seniors to sharpen their minds, leading to better overall health and quality of life.
• Lou Krieger gave top-notch poker tips. There’s a reason he has authored 11 poker books.
• Stan Sludikoff, long-time publisher of Poker Player Newspaper, has been speaking to Lyle Berman about a poker television channel. Plans are still being formulated but he insists that it will happen.
• Marsha Waggoner gave the best quote from Vince Lombardi: “Show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser.â€
• Russell Fox is an expert on taxes as they relate to poker players – amateurs and professionals. He knows his laws and seems to be the tax pro to the poker biz.
• 
John Pappas is extremely dedicated to the PPA. As Executive Director for only a few months, he has recruited numerous members of Congress to sponsor pro-poker legislation. And he bought me lunch.
So wow, so much is going on right about now. A lot of smart people doing a little bit more than just geeking out about poker and the industry’s/game’s/lifestyle’s future. Wish I could be everywhere:
We’ve got the Global Poker Thinking Society getting together at Harvard — featuring Howard Lederer, Charles Nesson, and Crandall Addington.
And then this weekend is the California Poker Conference — where speakers include WSOP Commish Jeffrey Pollack, PPA Executive Director John Pappas, and some influential old-timers such as Mike Caro, Lou Kreiger, Barbara Enright, and many others.
And then on the next day, Pappas heads back to Washington DC, where he’ll be hosting the Poker Player’s Alliance DC Fly-in — a little Beltway lobbying fest on behalf of pro-poker legislation. This is the one I really want to be at — and we’ll try to stay on top of things from afar — because twisting Congressional arms enlightening our representatives is a lot of fun. I gotta say, it also kinda makes me proud to know that our success wooing Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) as a co-sponsor to HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, kinda inspired it.
JP: We had a really great meeting in August with Congressmen Pete Sessions in his Dallas, Texas, office. It was myself and a number of our local PPA members, including Clonie Gowen, who’s a Dallas, Texan, and Robert Williamson III, another Dallas, Texan. We went in and sat down with him and talked to him about the Wexler bill and why it just didn’t make sense that a game of skill is being outlawed on the Internet. And it really resonated and it really came through and what I saw was, wow, this is something we need to replicate, this is something we needed to do more of. Based on that meeting, I thought we needed to get people out to Washington. Whether we make 20 meetings or 200 meetings, I think it’s going to be a worthwhile event.
Very cool! (And well done, Pokeratizen politicos!) Good times, all around. And indeed, we should do more of that.
I’ll be in Vegas … assuming I make my flight, which leaves in — yeow! — four hours, to do the TV Co-hosting thing with Tom Schneider for the inaugural Poker Bowl. This should be a pro-studded affair … even Doyle Brunson will be playing, along with Greg Raymer, Scotty Nguyen, reformed self-colluder ZeeJustin … and Absolute spokesman Mark Seif. Like seriously, we have so much to talk about!
And so little of it to do with how to play 
in middle position.
The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is giving its members an opportunity to lobby for their rights as players and supporters of the game.
When: October 22-24
Where: Washington D.C. – Omni Shoreham Hotel & Capitol Hill
Who: Alfonse D’Amato, Howard Lederer, Barry Greenstein, Andy Bloch, Chris Moneymaker, Victor Ramdin and You
All members of the PPA are invited to join in this Policy Conference. The organizers will be teaching attendees how to lobby Congress, and they will schedule a meeting with each person’s individual Congressional representative for the opportunity to convey your thoughts about poker as a game of skill and why it should be regulated, not outlawed. You can have direct influence with the people who represent you in our government.
Check out the PPA’s website for more info. There is a registration form on the site, and when you let them know you’re coming, the PPA will get in touch with your Congressional rep.
October 8th is the last day to book a room at the Omni Shoreham Hotel with the PPA discount. Some of the activities of the weekend will take place at this hotel, and they will be providing transportation to Capitol Hill from there.
Think about it.
Congress is bucking up for a new legislative season — in a presidential election year, no less — and our representatives have to make calculated principled educated decisions about which bills to stand behind. On Monday, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) signed on to cosponsor HR 2610, aka the Wexler bill or Skill Game Protection Act, which would effectively remove poker (along with bridge, chess, backgammon, and mah jongg) from the aegis of the UIGEA.
Sessions is the second Republican to align himself with this bill, and he promises to lend more than just his signature to the poker cause. “If we decide to get in this thing, it’s not because we’re [just] gonna use my name,” Sessions explained, “we’re doin’ it to get it done. Otherwise it’s like a warm bucket of spit — it’s no good.”
This was a real opportunity to inform an influential congressman in greater detail about the horrors impact of the UIGEA and plea for emergency humanitarian aid a federal bailout sensible government intervention. It also provided a privileged glimpse into how our system really works and a chance to see the new leadership of the PPA in action … But yeesh, 9 am is a little early, no?!?
A telephone interview with John Pappas, new Executive Director of the PPA. OK, so he’s moved into a new office in Washington DC … as poker-minded political efforts move from infancy to toddlerhood, now what?
It has been a while since I posted, but the Texas Poker PAC is still working towards our legislative goals. The next Texas Legislative Session begins in 2009, so we are working behind the scenes to get ready for our next push.
In the meantime, I have been appointed as the Texas State Director for the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). The PPA is beginning to work individual states and I believe that what we are doing in Texas will serve as a model for other states.
Currently we are working on individual U.S. congressional districts. So, today I ask if any Pokerati readers live in Texas Congressional District 32. You can see the district boundaries by looking here — it’s mostly parts of Dallas, Richardson, Irving, Addison, and the Park Cities. If so, please send an email here.
More news to come I’m sure. As always, thanks for all of your help.
Just as the anti-poker side is encouraging their “pro family” members to write their representatives about the plagues that will fall if the UIGEA is undone, pro-poker ambassadors are also hard at work rallying the troops. Click below to see the letter Greg Raymer sent out seeking similar political activity from presumably lazy poker types.
Interestingly enough, I have a PokerStars account and am a paying member of the PPA … but didn’t get this email. (It was forwarded to me by Don the Las Vegas Real Estate Guy.) With the other side well-practiced in their methods of swinging votes, I gotta think the poker side may need some extra coordination to keep up with the competition. Perhaps the three federal bills in play would benefit from something similar to what we used in Texas to electronically connect the legislators and citizenry en masse. Seriously, this relatively small programming effort went a long way toward ensuring our beloved little HB 3186 was a good chunk of the hallway/bathroom buzz around the state capitol at a semi-critical time.
Again, Greg Raymer’s request below …
LAS VEGAS–Just like old times … I’ve got so many super-fascinating browser tabs open I can’t keep up with them all. So please, allow me to unload:
The major tournament action underway is the LEGENDS of POKER at the BIKE in CALIFORNIA. Perhaps we’ll swing by …
MIKE MATUSOW, with his second-place finish in the main event of the BELLAGIO CUP III, is no longer broke. Apparently his $670k payday left him with 50 grand all to himself. In the real world this means he now qualifies for a loan. In the poker world it means he no longer does, unless he goes broke again.
DANIEL NEGREANU’s got a pretty good skill column this week, talking about manipulating table image to better reap the rewards of shifting gears. Hmm, something to think about?
From the Dept. of: Awesome … PHIL HELLMUTH will appear on The Surreal Life. Might an ass-kicking be inevitable, as he moves into a house with RANDY “Macho Man” SAVAGE, MISS CLEO, NANCY MCKIBBEN (who?), DABNEY COLEMAN, and the uber-pumped CARROT TOP.
BILL RINI, whom I consider an expert in matters of online cheating, has up a video that I thought was informational warning about a new form of MARKED CARDS circulating. But upon closer look, turns out to be just an ad hawking the illicit poker gear (compliments of GOOGLE).
Interesting (biased?) article here on what Google supposedly does to keep online poker seekers away from the bad poker sites.
Speaking of cheating … has anyone heard word of who might have been the high-stakes players allegedly swindled in major cheating scam at the BORGATA? Famed cheating consultant STEVE FORTE, of course, was one of the guys busted, even though he uses the journalist’s beloved excuse of “I was just working on a story!” Suddenly scary: the notion of tapping into hole-card cams.
Suddenly needed: a big-time poker security accreditation system?
Check it out … DUGGLEBOGEY is back to his old tricks sticks:
Glad to see the return of some more friendly faces.
Here’s a great article on the rise and fall of an ONLINE PRO — how you can go from $10k to $1.5 million and back down again. It coincides with a semi-related story about KaiBuxxe / RealAndyBeal — a 22-year-old Austrian and former MAGIC player who is tearing up the world of POT-LIMIT OMAHA.
And BRIAN TOWNSEND (aka “sbrugby”) — an online superstar turning to live games — is in the midst of a $3 million downswing. This according to his own blog. [via PokerKingBlog]
Dude, tell me about it … I’ve been running similarly bad:
POKER IS HARD!
Looks kinda like a PARTYGAMING stock chart, no?
SHANNON ELIZABETH was unable to play in the Victoria Poker Championships in AUSTRALIA … because she got carded at the door and didn’t have her ID. The male contingent of Pokerati has always wondered why ladies go anywhere without their license/passport/prescription.
Speaking of Australia, it may have slipped under your radar that the AUSSIES, along with CANADA and MACAU, have joined the WTO dispute against the UNITED STATES over the UIGEA. The beef started by ANTIGUA and BARBUDA seems to be growing some teeth, as others fighting against the chief enemy of AL QAEDA include COSTA RICA, INDIA, and … the EUROPEAN UNION. Think this fight isn’t about the future of international online economies as much as it is about poker?
A group called IMEGA continues to challenge the controversial internet law in court, and have their fingers crossed that a federal judge in New Jersey will issue a TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER in September.
Speaking of lawsuits and court actions in September, attorney and PPA representative LEE ROUSSO has a hearing set for his suit, which challenges the Constitutionality of WASHINGTON STATE’s law that makes playing online poker a felony on par with CHILD MOLESTATION.
A CARIBBEAN BUSINESS CONGLOMERATE will be entertaining a bunch of AMERICAN CONGRESSPEOPLE in November to explain Antigua’s WTO stance, among other things. In attendance will be CHARLIE RANGEL (D-NY-Taxes) and BENNIE THOMPSON (D-MS-Homeland Security),
AMERICA ONLINE wants in on online poker. Or at least online SPORTS BETTING, as AOL has entered into an internet bookmaking contract with a GERMAN company, FLUXX, which will target punters in the UK.
A good article from the BRITISH PRESS here — describing the UIGEA as a “TROJAN HORSE” given to the European gambling industry.
Meanwhile, British online gaming company WILLIAM HILL says they are having a hard time keeping poker players, because the EUROS really want to take on the AMERICANS (at Bodog, for example).
Over in the PHILLIPINES, they have (finally) opened up a bar-and-grille with amateur Texas Hold’em tourneys (scroll down near the bottom).
The nightly non-wager Hold ‘Em tournaments at the Player’s Den hope to further sharpen the skills of the Pinoys in this ultimate mind game where we can eventually excel worldwide.Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.
You may notice a lot of linkage today from this PokerKing guy. He has a lot of good stuff to read, including this article on why JERRY YANG is bad for ONLINE poker. Maybe maybe not, but I tend to agree with the wisdom of LOU KRIEGER, who recognizes that poker is a long-term game, and Yang couldn’t have come at a better time.
Here’s one of the more balanced takes on the JERRY YANG FOR PRESIDENT campaign.
AUSTIN–Sorry it took so long to get this Legislative Wrap-Up out, but I needed a little break.
The poker bill (HB 3186) indeed died this session. We most likely will not have legal poker in Texas before 2009. That’s the bad news.
There is much more good news though. Before this session, legal poker was little more than an intangible wish. It is a lot closer to a reality now. Our bill explicitly outlined a workable system for legal poker. Because of this, we gained a lot of legislative support as the session wore on and legislators could study our proposal. This gives us a huge leg up next session. Rather than explaining how the bill works, we will be able to be considered alongside a number of other revenue generating proposals.
We got a lot farther than most predicted. We did win a vote in committee and in the Calendars committee. We were even set on the house calendar. This is great considering the fact that the state didn’t need the extra revenue this year. Unfortunately the clock ran out on us despite having enough votes lined up in the State House to pass it. We even had a Senate sponsor ready to pick it up.
We had a great media day on the day of our committee hearing. The story was picked up by press all over the state and even CNN and some foreign outlets.
Because of all the work we did this session, we have something that the idea of legal poker never had in Texas: Credibility. With this new asset, we can continue the fight.
I’ll be competing in at least one event in the 2007 WSOP — $1,500 NLH on June 16. Exciting! Even more fun is that it’s all being made possible by our new-good-best friends at Milwaukee’s Best Light. Mmm-mmm. When you think about it, it really is an amazing beer. Go MBL! Guinness-shminness! The Euros will love this stuff!
As part of this sponsorship, I’ve agreed to donate half of any winnings in Event 27 to a reputable charity of my choice. Also cool because, you know, you gotta give to live, right? So it’s on me to figure out who gets Pokerati’s highly anticipated largess. (Milwaukee’s Best Light needs this info by Today morning, fyi.)
I’m about to quit thinking about the Legislature and Politics for a few days over the long weekend. In the meantime, those of you who are in Central Texas should consider attending this.
The Poker Players Alliance is helping with this fundraiser for US Congressman Charlie Gonzalez (D-San Antonio). The PPA has been a reliable ally in our fight to bring poker back to Texas, so lets help them bring online poker back to our country:
You are invited to celebrate Congressman Charlie Gonzalez’ 62nd Birthday at…
CASINO POLITICO
A Vegas Style Political Fundraising Event with Congressman Charlie Gonzalez
Thursday, May 31, 2007
5:30pm – 9:00pm
The Spire at Sunset Station
St. Paul Square - 230 Center Street - San AntonioCasino Politico Sponsorship Levels
$ 62 - Jr Secret Agent - Admission for 1 person (purchase playing chips at the door)
$ 250 - Agent Q - Admission for 2 persons and $ 50 worth of playing chips
$ 500 - Agent M - Admission for 4 persons and $100 worth of playing chips
$1,000 - 00’ Agent - Admission for 6 persons and $ 200 worth of playing chips
$2,300 - Goldfinger - Admission for 8 persons and $ 500 worth of playing chipsTo RSVP or for more information, call
210-886-9229 in San AntonioPaid for by the Charles A. Gonzalez Congressional Committee.
Just because our little poker bill in Texas didn’t make it over its biggest hump doesn’t mean the fun of fighting for legal poker is over. We got all sorts of federal fisticuffs on hand, and here we are talking about putting people in jail for life and the battle for control of an online economy! Woot!
From our good/Myspace friends at APCW:
Deep in the heart of Texas tonight HB 3186 will be waiting to hear the news of its existence and position. Lets take a moment to thank Dan and Lavigne of Pokerati for their great efforts in trying to legalize poker in Texas. Not only have they put a tremendous amount of work into getting the bill to the floor but they have done an excellent job informing the public.
No matter what happens tonight – Thank You for getting off the soapbox and taking real action.
There was a pretty interesting article in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal about a recent gathering at Harvard University, which set out to bring together some of the brightest minds in academia to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that poker is a game of skill. (Uh duh.) Howard Lederer was the main poker dude on hand, along with famed Harvard Law Professor Charles Nesson, Annie Duke, Andy Bloch, PPA honcho Michael Bolcerek, and a number cruncher who wants to run the math on billions of hands.
The WSJ’s unscientific poll is currently running 77-23 in favor of skill. Read the article and you’ll see this isn’t about rehashing old theories and debates … because really, what do you think the poll results would be if we asked: “Is life primarily a matter of skill or luck.” I am guessing 77-23 might be pretty close to the results here, too.
In the article, Lederer espouses a new talking-point argument that I hadn’t yet heard/thought of:
The “vast majority” of high-betting poker hands, he says, are decided after all players except the winner have folded. So if no one shows his cards, Mr. Lederer says, “can you legally argue that the outcome was determined by luck?”
Cool stuff — and good to see, in the ivory towers at least, a growing recognition of how some of what is currently shaking down in the poker world reaches into important future matters of internet law, international law, international business, and economics.
After his strategy session wrapped up, Prof. Nesson led the group to a bar for drinks. He was delighted, he said, at how the group “pushed game theory to the level of metaphor.” Sipping a scotch on the rocks, he tossed out the idea of creating a poker university, with himself as one of its teachers. Then, “we could infuse all levels of education with the skills that come from poker,” he said.
Or not … our beloved little HB 3186 still has a ways to go. But we are “this much closer” to legal-better poker in Texas … at a minimum, people in the law business are becoming more and more familiar with our “issues” … and an increasing number of political bidders are looking at dollar signs (and calculating implied pot odds) on an unusual bill that has, let’s say, 75 percent public support …
Here is the testimony presented earlier this month for and against legalized Texas poker to the legislative committee charged with making the first rounds of decisions about this bill. You will find it either totally boring or C-Span fascinating … and if you’re in the latter camp, you’ll probably hear much that you find encouraging. Listen closer, however, and you may get a sense that some hardline politicking has only just begun:
