We’ve got a new poll up on the right — go ahead and start your ballot-stuffing as we try speculate wildly on who is most likely to win the WSOP main event. Should be fun, albeit different than our last one, which was actually useful.
For the past week we’ve been unscientifically asking Pokerati readers which site — other than Pokerati, of course — was most essential to their understanding of the summertime poker fun that gives them so much jolly. You can see the complete results here. Nearly 200 of you went through the effort of actually clicking an extra button, and to that extent, amongst the geekiest most intelligent of poker geeks, the sites that matter most, in order of their finish:
Tao of Poker
Pauly’s whole purpose in life is to make me look bad, and hey, it seems to be a worthy pursuit. He wins this poll by a landslide.
Hold’em Radio
I’m scratching my head, too, as I haven’t really seen the folks based at Binion’s paying much attention to the WSOP, but hey, they apparently know how to motivate a portion of the “pirate” web community to outvote PokerRoad, so we’ll give them the props.
PokerNews
They paid a hefty price for the privilege of hiring bloggers to slave away write up hands and keep official chip counts, and it’s clearly worth something to people who care about big-tourney action.
The poker recessions/squeeze continues to show its reality face … podcast junkies have probably already noticed that Hold’em Radio is down. But is it done? We’ll see. I saw Wade, the HER chief, at Binion’s just yesterday … he was chit-chatting with some people during one of the daily tournaments there … but there was no broadcasting going on, and no signage left up on their studio/booth in the Binion’s poker room.
For all its problems with audio quality, Hold’em Radio was first when it came to giving poker ramblers a home for their voices. Beyond the Table got its start there, as did Lou Krieger’s Keep Flopping Aces. While the BTT crew has been independent for about a year and will presumably stay that way, other passionate podcasters may likely follow in Lou’s footsteps and defect to Rounders Radio. I’ll be personally curious to hear the difference. Because while we’ve enjoyed doing BTT on our own, can’t say that we have fully mastered the audio process yet. Just last week we recorded probably the funniest “Angry Julie” segment in audio history … only we didn’t. I mean the new software said it was recording, but …
I’m off to Vegas in a few hours to play in Jen Harman’s charity event tomorrow. The Bellagio Main Event starts Saturday and I will head over to see what’s going on. I have to say…I’m looking forward to a stress-free trip with no tournament worries. Just good old fashioned cash play.
On a lighter note for Pauly, he will be on Holdem Radio tonight with Lou Krieger and Amy Calistri. Thanks for the update, Dan. And stay off of Pokerati’s myspace or you will never get anything done.
As we’re messing with newfangled audio contraptions, I finally listened to our own Fresh Princess’s inaugural foray into the poker podcastosphere. Michele, I had no idea you were such a rookie! I mean in poker, not radio.
Check it out, as she appears on the Women’s Poker Hour (hosted by Maryann Morrison and Amy Zupko) a few weeks ago.
If you happen to be online this lovely Saturday early eve/right now, you may want to tune in to Naughty Poker Angels, live right now on Hold’em Radio. Sharron and Angie will be interviewing Scotty Nguyen. If any of you happen to know two of the three principals involved, you’ll know what sorta good naughty trouble they are sure to get into.
NOTE: Scotty Nguyen has a new website. Click the lovely flash intro (nyuk nyuk!) and you’ll see he has trademarked his signatureâ„¢. So if you had any designs on stealing it … now you can’t. Damn. Or perhaps I should say Danmâ„¢?
Bundas in Dallas writes in wondering about how sponsorship and backing works for big events … and also has me wondering if Pokerati should open up a forum. (Any volunteers to moderate?)
Perhaps looking for someone to rip him a new one, Bundas says:
OK Dan I’m sending this to you and hopefully you can pass on to all the pokerati writers or create a post and get each of there thoughts.
There is no way for me to post and have them respond but I would love to see what how each would answer.
OK in a recent posts I brought up the idea of Pokerati sponsoring me at the Holdem Radio live Event. I really was only kidding as that event is only $310.00 and I know there are no real funds at Pokerati for sponsorships.
I was listening to Holdem Radio last night and the subject of sponsorships for tournaments came up. Susie Isaacs brought up the point that she does not use her own money in the big events for example $5000.00 or above, she gets sponsors or backers.
Can you please have Tom Schneider or Michele Lewis our resident Pro’s explain what they do in regards to sponsorships or backers (Dan and Karridy could also give there opinions here)?
“Yukon Brad” Booth makes an impromptu appearance on tonight’s live broadcast of Beyond The Table // Dan gets called out for not reading his own Blog // Brad tells us why he would have lost money on the HUC results // Brad gives acclamations and predictions for HUC Champion, Paul Wasicka.
Just sitting here “getting ready” for tonight’s episode of Beyond the Table. As always, you can tune in here to listen live. Or you can wait for the podcast to appear here. This evening Tom, Karridy, and I will be talking about … er … poker?
Quick question(s) for the four of you who do listen live, every week, at 7 pm central … do you enjoy the chat room while the show is going on in the background? Does hearing Karridy say your screen name give you the tingles inside?
And do any of you load up your ipod with poker shows to listen to at the table or in your car? Just curious about how people use podcasts and what they generally do with them.
It’s become too big a hassle to deposit poker funds online // Tom gets huffy about “rakeback” / Dan pshaws while defending poker affiliates // Click2Pay and NuPay / Will online poker dollars become worth more than hard American currency?
The European Union considers fighting American anti-online-gambling laws via the WTO / Washington State looks to undo felony online poker statute / Dan questions Poker Players Alliance lobbying strategy // Tom’s sick of the war in Iraq / Fermat’s Last Theorem in the Middle East // Chaka Khan, Chaka from Land of the Lost, and Amarillo Slim at gunpoint // Russians betting their wives away
The Bluff Power Rankings vs. CardPlayer’s Player of the Year // Tom prepares for “Cash Poker,†a televised $25,000 buy-in ring game at Binion’s / Dan worries that Tom may lose because no-limit cash games aren’t his specialty // Psychoanalyzing Amarillo Slim’s mental state after his latest reported armed robbery / Tom’s childhood fondness for the 1972 champ // Reliable rumors on how the media set-up will work at the 2007 WSOP / Tonya Harding vs. Nancy Kerrigan on press row // Tom’s Winning Wisdom: Integrity is Key
For those who don’t know, I’m a mild-mannered programmer by day. Okay, I’m actually an Internet Applications Developer. But lately, I’ve been earning the title of C.P.O (Chief Poker Officer). It’s not a bad gig, either. And since I don’t do football or fantasy versions thereof, I can rest easy knowing that I’ve still got a little cooler-speak always on deck. Sure, I might be a lacking conversationalist on almost all other topics, but if you want to debate ways of playing small pairs in early position, well… I have very open-door policy. As I said, It’s a great gig if you can get it.
I do, however, have a word of caution to any person considering treading this rung of the corporate social ladder. Make sure you can back it up. I would like to believe that I can, however a certain recent event proved anything but.
Still fairly new to the company, I accept the task of co-hosting our IT department’s newest team-building exercise. A company sponsored, multi-table freezeout. It truly says something about the perception of poker when a well-to-do, finance-based company kicks in for prizes for such an event. No red tape. No talking to legal to ensure that cash games would not break out. For that matter, I should also mention that we were kindly greeted with a keg of beer for what was intended to be a two-table tourney. Not a bad ratio of beer to player.
Tables are setup and chips are distributed. Poker Timer is running on the big screen and away we go. Fast forward to about 30 minutes later. I am dealt 8c8s in early position. I make a 4x raise, as I’ve been pretty inactive and hope that I have enough image as CPO to induce folds around. Two callers. Board comes 4JJ, rainbow. I bet out and find out that I am exactly where I want to be. A pot size bet is called and the turn brings trash. I am short-stacked and pretty committed at this point. I don’t want to see any more cards, so I move in. After about 30 seconds of thought, I get called by QhKd. No pair, King high. The turn brings the Queen and the CPO is the first player eliminated. My prize is a well-deserved copy of “Poker for Dummies,” which is, semi-ironically, co-authored by one of mine and Dan’s Hold’em Radio colleagues, Lou Krieger. Next up in my Amazon wishlist… “Walking the Walk – for Dummies.”
You know, it’s like we’re doing this thing every week or something. Tonight … 7 pm central … “Beyond the Table” … where we are going to talk about … er, um, uh … poker?
My distinguished internet radio colleague, “Wolfman” Karridy, tipping us off to the developing Gregg Merkow-Tunica love story:
________________________________________
From: Karridy Askenasy
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 11:55 AM
To: danm
Subject: RE: Merkow
Same event he won last year. Tunica’s Main event. Maybe I’m wrong… I really thought you’d know more about this than me. I’d hate to slip, but I think he’s onto something huge.
From: dan michalski
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 11:43 AM
To: ‘Karridy Askenasy’
Subject: RE: Merkow
Which event? Is this the same event he won last year or something like that, or did he win won last week?
(And while you’re waiting for the show, click here to hear Casey Kasem go berserk.)
NOTE: The Jan. 10 podcast is up already. Hear Tom, Karridy and I discussing everything from bankroll management to tampon applicators … and while I go off for a while on the greatness of Steve Wong, Karridy rocks it like a hurricane on guitar and Tom goes into detail about how to beat Daniel Negreanu in prop bets on the golf course.
If you happen to be online this lovely Saturday early eve/right now, you may want to tune in to 
For those who don’t know, I’m a mild-mannered programmer by day. Okay, I’m actually an Internet Applications Developer. But lately, I’ve been earning the title of C.P.O (Chief Poker Officer). It’s not a bad gig, either. And since I don’t do football or fantasy versions thereof, I can rest easy knowing that I’ve still got a little cooler-speak always on deck. Sure, I might be a lacking conversationalist on almost all other topics, but if you want to debate ways of playing small pairs in early position, well… I have very open-door policy. As I said, It’s a great gig if you can get it. 
Don’t forget … it’s Wednesday night. That means at 7 pm central 